Santa Monica Plumbers: Signs You Need Sewer Repair

Like most homeowners, you likely take your sewer for granted. This is a problem because the second something goes wrong with your sewer line, it has the potential to disable your entire plumbing system. What’s worse, if you don’t get sewer repair quickly, it can cause massive amounts of damage to your property. So what are the signs you need some sewer repair? And how do you find the best Santa Monica plumbers to help with your sewer line? In this guide, we’ll break down everything you need to know about this issue. That way, you can get your home’s plumbing back on track as soon as possible. What Is a Sewer Line? Before we explore signs that you might need sewer repair, it’s important to understand what your sewer line is. You can think of sewer lines as the infrastructure that transports waste away from your home. Not only does it consist of all of the plumbing found underneath your home, but it also includes all the city lines it flows to. Some common materials used for sewer lines include concrete, plastic, cast iron, and lead in older homes. Most homes have sewer lines buried beneath the house’s foundation. However, if you live in an apartment, multiple sewer lines likely connect into one main one leaving the property. Signs It Needs Repairing In this section, we’ll review some of the clear signs that you’re experiencing sewer problems. If you notice any of these problems, contact one of the nearly 500,000 plumbers in the United States. They’ll inspect the symptom to see if the problem is from your sewer line. 1. Bad Smells Around Your House Does your home smell like raw sewage? If so, you should look into sewer repair immediately. Sewage smells are supposed to stay inside the pipes. If they’re exiting your drain, your sewage line is either backed up or leaking. Now, you might think that the smell of raw sewage is impossible to ignore. And, in many cases, it is. However, sometimes it can be more subtle. This usually happens when it mixes with other strong smells in the house. Cooking, smoking, and mildew can all disguise the smell of sewage. So make sure you smell everything closely, especially around the bathrooms. 2. Gurgling Sounds From Your Toilet When You Flush It’s normal for your toilet to make sounds when you flush it. However, be on the lookout for slow flushes that result in a lot of gurgling sounds and bubbles. In some cases, your toilet might even make these sounds when you’re not even using it. This is usually a sign that there’s a clog somewhere within your sewer line. When the waste reaches this clog, it tends to push back in the direction it initially came from. This results in bubbles and a gurgling sound when you flush. If this issue gets terrible enough, it can result in your toilet backing up after you flush it. This should be avoided since it can cause unsanitary conditions and water damage. 3. Mold Growing On Your Walls If your home plumbing is backed up, it’s likely causing a dramatic rise in humidity within your home. Sadly, as most people know, certain types of bacteria thrive in a wet environment. This specifically includes many types of mold. If you notice mold growing on your wall, it could be from your sewer system. This is especially true if it’s growing on the walls around your toilets. Sadly, mold on the walls doesn’t just look unsightly. It can also represent a major health risk. As such, the second you notice a little bit of mold, you should contact a professional. That way, you can reduce the severity of the problem. 4. Flooding and Soft Spots in Your Yard Lawns should be able to absorb water easily. As such, if you notice large puddles in your lawn or soft spots in the soil, it might be time to call a sewer repair company. This can be a sign that there’s a crack or break in your sewer line. That means that raw sewage is leaking on your lawn. There are a lot of things that can cause cracking in your sewer line. Cold temperatures can cause the liquid to expand into ice and break the pipes. Corrosive chemicals are another common culprit. Or it might simply be old age. Regardless, you should replace the line in question as soon as you can. Otherwise, it might worsen and require an entire replacement. 5. Large Amounts of Pests Around Many pests, like rats, flies, and termites, love the damp conditions that a broken sewer line creates. Often people will make the mistake of calling an exterminator instead of a plumber when they notice increased pests around. However, this is tackling a symptom and not the source of the problem. If you don’t deal with the problem that’s causing the dampness, the pests are just going to come right back. 6. Ultra-Green Patches in Your Yard You might think that bright green patches on your lawn are a good thing. However, this can be a sign that there’s sewage leaking. While the sewage might have a fertilizing effect on your grass early on, it will cause a lot of trouble down the line. How to Maintain Your Sewer Line If you’ve had a close call with your sewer line, you might be wondering how to prevent problems in the future. The good news is that with routine maintenance, you can significantly prolong the life of your sewer system. For starters, never flush harsh chemicals down into your sewer system. These chemicals are bad for the environment. On top of that, they can also be corrosive. That means that they actually eat away at the material surrounding your sewer lines. Instead, consider a more natural alternative. For example, pour some baking powder down your drains. Wait five minutes, then pour down vinegar to create a chemical reaction. You should also read this guide