Telltale Signs That Your Drain Lines Need Cleaning

Drain lines play an important role in the transportation of wastewater from appliances in your home to the main sewer line. Problems in the drain lines could affect the efficiency of the home's sewer system.

Being aware of the signs of problematic drain lines can help you know when to have the lines cleaned or repaired to mitigate damage that could result in costly replacements.

Read on to learn more about drain lines and symptoms of pipes that need immediate attention.

Basics of Drain Lines

Drain lines are also known as drain pipes and are different from your home's main sewer line. Your home has several drain lines — for example, toilet lines, shower drain lines, washing machine lines, and sink drains.

All these household drain lines meet underneath the house and connect to the main drain or sewer line. The sewer line is the main pipe that transfers wastewater to the septic tank or municipal sewer line.

Drain lines are also connected to ventilation pipes installed behind your home's walls. This network of pipes vents out through the roof and prevents wastewater odors from leaking out of the drains and drifting into the house.

Understanding the difference between the drainpipes and the main sewer line is important because each system requires different repair processes.

To identify problems in the main sewer line, plumbing specialists usually put cameras through the main line. In case the sewer line is badly damaged, the specialists may need to perform some excavation work to repair the line.

On the other hand, many drain line problems are easily fixable if you identify the problem early and little or no damage has been caused to your home's overall plumbing system.

Signs of Drain Line Problems

Taking care of seemingly harmless drainage problems can prevent potentially costly repairs later on. Several signs are indicative of drain line problems.

Slow-Draining Fixtures

Slow-draining kitchen sinks, bathroom drains, toilets, and other fixtures are a sure sign of clogged drains.

Drain line cleaning can help remove any obstructions in the pipe and allow proper flow of wastewater from the appliance or fixture down to the main sewer line.

Slow drains could also be an indication of a faulty septic tank. When the septic tank is not filtering water fast enough, the drains in your house may start to back up.

Strange Odors

Bad smells in your home are another major sign of problems with your drain lines. Foul odors could be a result of an accumulation of contaminants leaking through the drainpipes. Drain cleaning can remove pollutants from the pipes and eliminate the smell.

Sometimes, a broken sewer line could be the cause of persistent bad smells. A qualified plumber can replace a broken sewer line to permanently eradicate bad odors from your house.

Water Stains

Water stains or pooling on your basement floor or close to any floor drains is a big cause for concern. This could be a sign of thoroughly clogged drainpipes that need immediate cleaning.

If not addressed, excessively clogged drain lines could begin to leak and create large pools of wastewater on your floors, which may necessitate a costly cleanup.

Drain line problems are easy to overlook because they do not always seem serious enough to warrant immediate attention until it is too late and you are looking at costly repairs. You do not have to postpone taking care of drain line problems — most of the time, thorough drainpipe cleaning will resolve the issue.

At Walters Environmental Services , we offer affordable emergency drain cleaning services in Harrisburg, PA, and surrounding areas. Call us day or night for solutions to all of your drainage problems.