Most homeowners don’t think about their sewer line until something goes wrong—and by then, it’s often a big, messy problem. Your sewer line is responsible for carrying wastewater away from your home, and when it starts to fail, you’ll notice the warning signs long before a full-blown backup. Catching the problem early can save you from costly repairs and major damage.
Here are the most common signs your sewer line is failing—and what you should do next.
1. Frequent Drain Clogs
If you’re dealing with constant clogs in sinks, toilets, or showers, it could mean more than a local blockage. When multiple drains are affected, it’s usually a sign that your main sewer line is compromised.
What to Do: Skip the store-bought drain cleaners (they can damage your pipes). Instead, call a professional plumber to inspect the line with a sewer camera.
2. Slow Draining Fixtures
Does your sink take forever to empty? Does your shower pool with water around your feet? Slow drainage across several areas of your home points to a deeper issue with your sewer line, not just one pipe.
What to Do: If plunging doesn’t help, have a plumber check for tree root intrusion, buildup, or cracks in your sewer line.
3. Unpleasant Odors
That foul sewage smell coming from your drains or yard is never normal. It’s often a warning sign that wastewater isn’t flowing properly and could be leaking into the ground or backing up.
What to Do: Get a sewer line inspection immediately. Ignoring the smell can lead to health hazards and serious property damage.
4. Lush or Soggy Spots in Your Yard
If one patch of grass is greener or wetter than the rest, it could be because your sewer line is leaking underground. Wastewater acts as a fertilizer, making the grass grow faster—but it also means your sewer pipe is failing.
What to Do: Call a plumber before the leak worsens. Left unchecked, it can lead to sinkholes or major foundation damage.
5. Gurgling Sounds in Pipes
Hearing strange gurgles when you flush the toilet or run the sink? That’s air trapped in your sewer line, often caused by a blockage or break in the pipe.
What to Do: This is one of the earliest signs of a sewer line issue. Don’t wait until it becomes a full backup—schedule a professional inspection.
6. Sewage Backups
The most obvious and most dreaded sign: sewage coming back up into your sinks, tubs, or toilets. If this happens, your sewer line is likely severely blocked or broken.
What to Do: Stop using your plumbing immediately and call an emergency plumber. Backups are unsanitary and can cause extensive damage fast.
Why Acting Quickly Matters
A failing sewer line won’t fix itself. The longer you wait, the worse the damage gets—and the higher the repair cost. Early intervention can often mean cleaning, hydro-jetting, or repairing a section of pipe instead of replacing the entire line.
Call the Sewer Line Experts in Ocean County
At Crest Plumbing, we’ve helped homeowners across Barnegat and Ocean County handle sewer line issues before they turn into disasters. Using advanced camera inspections and professional repair techniques, we’ll get to the root of the problem and restore your system fast.
📞 Don’t wait until sewage backs up into your home. If you’ve noticed any of the signs above, call Crest Plumbing today for a sewer line inspection and repair.
