5 Telltale Signs You Could Have a Broken Sewer Line

A broken sewer line is no fun. The sewer line is the large pipe that runs from your house to the mains drainage system. The section of the sewer line that is on your property is your responsibility. That means any issues or breakages in this section of pipe need to be located and fixed at your expense.

It’s better to handle this yourself than to pay the water board to deal with it!

If you have any of the following 5 symptoms then you probably have a broken sewer line. However, before you start digging in the yard, it’s worth looking for a quality sewer camera for sale. This can be inserted into your sewer pipes and will show you the inside. You’ll be able to locate any clogs or breakages. This will help to minimize the amount of work you need to do to repair them.

Here are the five most common signs you have a broken sewer line:

1. Green Grass

If you have a yard then you may spend a lot of time trying to get the perfect lawn. It can be difficult to encourage grass to grow and keep the weeds away. However, if you notice that one section of the grass always does well and looks greener than the rest of the garden, you may have a broken sewer line.

A broken sewer line allows the sewage to seep into the ground, this gives the grass the nutrients it needs to grow, creating the best-looking part of your garden!

2. Slow Drains

A clear sign of a problem with your sewer lines is slow drains. If just one appliance is draining slowly then a clog is in the line between the appliance and the sewer pipe. But, if they are all slow draining you’re looking at a clog in the sewer line.

This can simply be a clog that needs to be cleared. However, the clog can be caused by a damaged pipe, which needs to be fixed or it will happen again.

3. Foul Odor

If you notice a foul odor in a particular section of your yard, specifically where the sewer line runs, you may have a broken pipe. The foul odor is a result of the raw sewage getting out of the pipe and filtering into the surrounding ground.

4. Broken Slabs

Slabs that have broken or cracks starting to appear in the wall near the base of your home suggest that the ground underneath is saturated. This prevents it from giving the necessary support to your home.

The reason the ground could be saturated throughout the year is often a direct result of a broken sewer line. It’s time to check it out and fix it.

5. Rodents

Finally, if you notice an increase in rodents in or around your home then you need to consider the sewer line. Rodents are attracted to the high moisture levels around the sewer pipes and even the waste products.

An increase in rodents suggests you have a sewer problem that needs to be dealt with swiftly.