A simple clog in the U-bend of your bathroom sink is not usually a big deal. A blocked sewer drain, though, is a much bigger deal.

There are often signs that your sewer drain is blocked, some more subtle than others. Check out these indicators that you are, in fact, dealing with a clogged sewer drain, along with what to do before it becomes a much more expensive fix.

How to tell you have a clogged sewer line

1. Water Backs Up When Using Another Appliance

Flushing the toilet when someone is taking a shower is unpleasant enough but with a clogged sewer line, you won’t just be causing their shower to go icy cold or extra-hot. The shower drain can actually back up right after you flush. Yuck.

This same issue may happen anywhere in the house; use your washing machine and the toilet overflows. What’s happening is the wastewater is trying to find a way out but can’t, so it looks for the nearest escape – which usually means another drain line.

2. More Than One Drain is Clogged

If you’re experiencing multiple drains with issues, like your kitchen sink, bathroom sink, and toilet, then more than likely the culprit is a blocked sewer line. Besides backing up, your drains may gurgle, drain slowly, or stink.

In its early stages, a blocked sewer line will impact the lowest drains in the house first – so you may notice the gurgling from your laundry room floor drain before any others are impacted.

3. The Sewer Cleanout Has Drainage

The average homeowner may not be entirely familiar with the sewer cleanout but getting to know its purpose and signs of trouble could save you a bundle.

The sewer cleanout is often found inside your basement or right outside your house. It features a circular or rectangular cap that’s often labeled “sewage” or “cleanout.” It sometimes has a little hole in the cap. If you see any sewage or water around the outside of that cap, you definitely have a blocked sewage drain. If you pull off the cap and see standing water inside the sewer cleanout, that’s also indicative of a blocked sewer drain.

What To Do About a Blocked Sewer Drain

The first thing to do it call a plumber. Here’s why: You don’t know what’s causing the clog, whether it’s a collapsed main sewage line common to older homes, if it’s root invasion, or if it’s a simple clog much like you’d find in your sink p-trap. The sewer drain goes from your house out to the main sewage line under the street, or your own septic system, and the clog could be anywhere in between. Dealing with a reputable plumber like Heartland Plumbing will ensure you find the clog fast.

When you call Heartland Plumbing, we will schedule a specific appointment time that’s convenient to you – so no “blocked” appointments that include hours of waiting! Our plumbers aren’t salesmen, which means we diagnose the actual problem and fix it the right way. We’ll snake the drain with a camera to determine exactly where the issue is in your sewer drain and put together a plan to solve your sewage line blockage. Give us a call today at 913-856-5846 for all your plumbing problems or send us a note and we’ll return your message promptly!