Your sewer line is responsible for taking waste to a sewage treatment plant in your community; it should become compromised; you could put yourself and those around you at serious risk of illness. If damaged, this line could pose a significant danger.
Sewage contains harmful organisms like E. coli and Salmonella that can lead to gastroenteritis, leading to fever, cramps, vomiting, and diarrhea in those exposed.
So, if you suspect any issues with your sewer line, it’s crucial to get it checked and repaired by professionals to ensure everyone’s safety – you can find reliable help at https://jblantonplumbing.com/sewer-repair/.
Symptoms
Breaking your sewer line can damage your home and health, so knowing its symptoms can save time, money, and worry. Learning the warning signs for broken sewer lines will allow you to protect yourself and your family.
An apparent telltale sign that something may be amiss with your sewer line is when sewage backups appear. Whether a single toilet keeps flooding up with toilet waste or multiple drains regularly back up throughout your house, something may be amiss in its infrastructure.
Another telltale sign of sewer line problems is an odd smell in your home. Sewer lines contain waste of all types, so naturally, they’ll have an odor – but if this lingers too much and comes through into your plumbing, this indicates a potential breach in the line, and raw sewage is entering through any violations in its path.
Cockroaches, in particular, are notorious for entering through narrow openings; seeing one could indicate that something in the pipe has broken or been compromised somehow.
Make sure that any time your toilet makes any gurgling sounds, you contact a plumber immediately. These noises could indicate trapped air trying to escape through your commode – should this occur, a technician must come quickly.
Causes
Your sewer line connects every drain and toilet in your home to the public sewage system, but when broken or clogged, it can send waste back into your house from where it should go, creating an immense mess and severe health concerns.
Sewage that leaks through drains or open wounds into the house could pose risks of Shigella Salmonella, E. coli and Hepatitis, among many other diseases that could spread.
If your drains seem to clog more frequently, this could be a telltale sign of a damaged sewer line. Clogs that don’t respond to standard household cleaners or plumbing plungers could indicate more serious issues with plumbing infrastructure.
Foul sewage odors are another sure sign that something is amiss with a sewer line. Breathing this in over time may cause headaches, fatigue, nausea and fainting if inhaled for extended periods.
Breaks in sewer lines may also result from ground settlement, tree roots and corrosion of older pipes. Over time, cast iron and steel pipes may rust due to exposure to wastewater chemicals and minerals found in soil; additionally, they may collapse under their weight or due to movements around their location.
Over time, metal sewer pipes can corrode and crack, leading to leaks. They may become corroded and rusty or expanded by freezing water expansion within them.
Extreme temperatures may even cause them to freeze and burst, leaving an indentation in your lawn where one has happened. When one does pop off its pipe’s home stretch, it often leaves behind an audible noise as a sign that something went wrong!
Treatment
Noticing signs of a damaged sewer line include gurgling toilets and water that takes too long to drain away from your home, along with spots of mold or mildew in your walls or floors indicating sewage leakage into them, should be monitored closely. When any issues with your sewers arise, you should seek professional assistance immediately to get them resolved.
Tree roots, ground settlement, and wear and tear can all contribute to a broken sewer line, creating blockages or breaking pipes if the line is neglected. Sewage lines must also be regularly maintained, or heavy rain may cause the soil to settle on top of them and damage their integrity further.
Prevention
In the event of a sewer line break, taking precautionary measures is crucial. First and foremost, avoid touching any potentially contaminated surfaces with either your feet or hands; thoroughly disinfect all contaminated areas using disinfectants.
Moreover, use clean water sources exclusively for cooking and cleaning tasks; ensure young children stay away from sewage pipes by giving them diapers free from bacteria;
Keep a keen eye out for any signs of pest infestations in your home. Cockroaches, bugs, and rats can get inside through cracks in sewage pipes and enter through cracks in walls; rats carry diseases that are harmful to you and your family and potentially trigger asthma symptoms in some individuals.
One of the best ways to prevent future issues with your sewage line is by regularly having it professionally cleaned and inspected. From there, you can avoid expensive repairs and health problems. When choosing your cleaning provider, make sure that they are licensed and insured so you know you are receiving quality service at a fair price.