Many homeowners will face the time when their drainage lines will clog, leak or fail altogether. Depending on the pipe materials, the average lifespan of sewer lines can vary and can have issues at any time. The most common culprits are cracks from tree roots, misaligned connections, and channeling. If you notice any of these following signs, it is important to have a trained plumber come to your home and investigate your sewer line BEFORE you have a complete line failure. Maintenance is much cheaper than repairs and replacement.

Sewer backups can occur in one, several or all drains in your home. It usually is found in the lowest open drain and is caused by a blockage, usually in the main sewer line. If you have a blockage in only a drain, then it may be a more isolated issue, limited to just one pipe or drain. If you’re experiencing backups on a regular basis, then you may have deteriorating lines and need a trained plumber to scope the line and look for blockage, cracks, breaks, misaligned connections, root infringement, or other causes.  If you can smell sewage, then you know you have a leak somewhere and need to get it resolved immediately. Sewer lines are airtight so there should never be a smell of sewage in your home or yard.

The most dangerous and costly effects of sewer line leaks are foundation issues. If you have a leak under your foundation, this can lead to cracks, settlement and in worst cases, sinkholes.  If you notice cracks on your walls, floors, or are finding lush patches of grass near your foundation line (caused by the sewage seeping into your yard, giving extra nutrients to your lawn) or you find dips in your lawn where the crack(s) in the line run, causing the soil to dissipate with the saturation of the sewage below, it is time to hire a professional plumber to come and inspect your lines.

There are many ways for a trained plumber to inspect your plumbing issues and make the required repairs. It is best to have them perform routine maintenance rather than waiting for the need to make large, costly repairs and line replacements. Call us today at (410) 265-8833 to have one of our highly trained plumbers in Baltimore, MD come to your home and get things flowing in the right direction again.