You have been watching the water levels in your home lately and noticed that it is draining slowly in the bathroom and kitchen sinks. Your home is an older home and to your knowledge the sewer lines have never been changed. You decide to call in a professional to take a look at the problem, but before you do, a little research is in order to make sure that there truly is a problem. If you are unsure of your sewer pipe issues, then read on to make sure that you do not have a broken sewer line. There are many signs that will immediately let you know if you have a broken sewer line.

Signs of a Broken Sewer line

*Slow Draining Water – You should begin to look at the water in your shower or bathtub. The water should not be slow draining or seep back up. Often times when people see a back up or a slow running drain, they use drain cleaners to unclog the pipes. While this may work sometimes, it will not fix the larger problem if there is a broken sewer pipe line that needs to be permanently fixed.

*Foul Smell and Clanking Sounds – If your sewer line is broken, you will definitely smell foul odors. These are coming directly from the sewer and will be noticeable by your family. There will also be clanking sounds that you will hear which will come from water pressure coming up against he broken pipes that are now unable to handle the pressure.

*Pests – While it may seem odd, you may see mice or rats coming up from the sewer line into your home. While no one wants to see this, it is a common situation that could happen to any home. Seeing multiple pests that you have not seen before, particularly if they are near your pipes, is a clear indicator that you sewer line is broken.

Foundation Problems. If the broken sewer line problem persists over a long period of time, your home may start deteriorating from the foundation. You may feel like a settling of the house more than before. The broken sewer pipes have now caused the erosion of your homes foundation and must be fixed before costs get out of control.

*Water Levels in The Toilet Are Not What They Normally Are – Often times when there is a broken sewer line, the toilet levels may be low and then high. There is no consistency in the levels as you have seen before with your toilet water. This is also a sign of a broken sewer line.

Hopefully this will help you in determining if you have signs of a broken sewer line in your home. If you are experiencing these signs, the best thing to do is to call a professional who can come in and assess the problem and then permanently fix it.

 

For more information, contact Vinny’s Jersey Plumbing, located in Wayne, New Jersey.  We also service other towns in New Jersey, such as Verona, Montclair and West Orange.