It’s an inevitable part of owning or renting a home: at some point, a drain or two will get clogged. But how do you know whether or not it’s just the surface drain or the main drain that is backed up and needs to be unclogged? If your main drain is clogged, it’s important to get it seen to as soon as possible, and make sure that it gets cleared before any further damage is done.
Here’s a few clear signs that your main sewer line is blocked up:
Multiple drains are backed up
Often one of the first signs that your main drain is clogged will be that a number of your regular drains are backed up. Make sure you keep an eye on your shower, bath and toilet drains: are they taking longer than usual to process water? Single clogs are generally nothing to worry about – kitchen drain clogs are usually from a backup of food, bathroom drains from hair or cosmetic materials. But as soon as you notice that a few different drains are either clogged or not working as well as usual, it may be time to get your system inspected to make sure something bigger isn’t going on.
There’s a funky smell
We hate to talk about it, but a clear sign that your main sewer line is backed up is, well, the smell. You may just initially notice it from one drain or area of your house and not think much of it. But as soon as you or someone else in the home realises that the smell of raw sewerage is coming from a number of different taps and drains, it’s time to take action. Not only do you want to get rid of that smell quick smart, but you want to fix it at the source: the main drain.
Overflows and floods
When your main drain is backed up, you will start to notice strange overflows and plumbing reactions in your home. The water that you use has nowhere to go, so it will build up in your sinks, shower recess, bath, toilet. You may notice strange things happening: running the sink closest to the toilet for a significant period of time may make the water build up in the toilet bowl. Flushing the toilet might cause the bath to start running. The water will go wherever it can find a spot – and worse, if it has nowhere to go, your taps will just start to flood.
Think your main drain may be clogged up, backed up and causing you grief? Let the professionals confirm it for you and fix the problem. At Tap Doctor WA Plumbing & Gas, we know what to look for and how to fix it without causing any further issues to your plumbing system. Give one of our experienced and friendly plumbers a call today to book in an inspection, and let’s get that problem sorted.