Blocked Sewer – What Should You Know?

Your day starts with a refreshing shower, brushing your teeth and shaving. The kitchen calls out to you for making breakfast and sometimes even lunch. All of this calls for water and drains to get rid of what’s dirty or in excess.

We usually don’t think much of our drains and sewers as long as they are working fine. That’s where the whole problem lies! Periodic checks and a little thoughtfulness will help prevent serious problems or even minor ones which could stall your well planned out, smooth running life. How could you prevent a mishap where your sewer is blocked, and dirty water is backing up through what should have been exit points? What steps can you take if there are warning signs of your blocked sewer not functioning optimally?

Recognize the Signs

If you listen carefully you could actually hear your house talk to you, not literally of course! Whenever things don’t work as they should, your house or things therein will sound warnings, be keen to listen to such calls when they go off. Here are some of the ‘words’ that you can recognize while your house speaks to you:   

• Visible signs: When your shower, toilet, and sinks drain slower than normal, it is time to take a look at the waterworks in your house. At times, if the problem is severe, the water may not drain at all. It could be that only a single pipe is blocked, in such a case only one drain would be affected. However, if all or most of the exits backup or are draining slowly, then most likely, it is the sewer drain that is blocked. A smart way to check if the problem is certainly a blocked sewer drain is by observing the level of water in the toilet if running taps makes the water in the toilet rise then it confirms the problem.
• Odor: In a clogged drain when something is stuck and begins to decay, the smell is particularly awful and will not escape notice. The smells precede the sights, so don’t ignore bad smells around the house. These could be indicators of a blocked sewer.
• Noises: You can tell when there are abnormal noises coming out of your pipes. A normal free flowing drain does not make typical sounds like a clogged one. When there is air trapped in the pipes and gets moved around through the system, it makes gurgling sounds. If your drains, toilet flushes or pipes give such sounds it is an indicator of sewer trouble.

The Solution

If the issue is confined to your private house or property, then it is your responsibility to deal with it. Once you have identified these early signs of a sewer blockage or have found yourself in the middle of the backup sewage water here are two ways you could tackle the issue.

1. Do It Yourself: You can unclog the blocked drain or blocked sewer on your own by applying techniques such as using chemicals, plunger, and boiling water if it is a minor issue.
2. Call the Pro’s: You could get professional services of a plumber or a company that fixes blocked sewers to deal with the problem if the problem is too severe. They will use hydro jets, rods to unblock sewer drains or excavate the area to solve the issue.

Blocked sewer problems can be prevented by timely inspection and by keeping an eye on the signs mentioned above. Call the professionals to get the best solution to the problem.

About The Author: Alyssa Moylan is an ordinary woman from Australia, a writer by day and a reader by night. She writes on various topics like home improvement, business, lifestyle, health, travel and fashion. She likes to think of ways on how to solve daily life problems of people. Follow her on Twitter to stay updated.