Signs of a Problem with Your Sewer Pipe
admin • August 17, 2015

The sewer pipe can be one of the most problematic parts of your plumbing, largely because it’s buried underground and takes a great deal of effort to reach. Add to that Olympia, WA’s traditionally wet weather and resolving an issue with the pipe can be quite tricky. The good news is that trained plumbers can use modern technology such as video pipe inspection to help resolve the issue with speed and efficiency. But before we can do our job, you need to be able to spot signs of a problem with your sewer pipe and respond appropriately. Here’s a short list of common symptoms which you should look out for.

  • Water Back-ups. If there’s a clog in your sewer line, your plumbing outlets won’t drain the way they’re supposed to, leading to back-ups across the whole house. If it’s systematic, then the problem is probably with the whole of your plumbing, which points the finger at the sewer line.
  • Lack of Water Pressure . Conversely, the problem may be that water simply isn’t flowing in your plumbing the way you expect it to, or that when it does so, it comes out in a stream instead of a gush.
  • Odd Occurrences on Your Lawn. In the event of a sewer line breach, your lawn may fill with strange puddles that have no supported source. Or you may spot divots in the lawn where none existed before.
  • Weird Smells. There’s no way to be coy about it: sewage smells, and when it leaks out of your system your nose is bound to pick it up. If you spot a distinctive odor in your yard with no apparent source, you know what the issue could be.
  • Lush Growth. Similarly, sewage makes for a natural fertilizer. Look for plants and shrubs that appear greener and more lush in a spot near a sewer leak.

For sewer line repairs and other plumbing issues, call on the pros at Brooks Plumbing to help!

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