4 Main Causes of Sewer Damage

4 Main Causes of Sewer Damage

Without a proper waste disposal system, you can experience a whole host of issues: spreading diseases, mold outbreaks, and breathing problems. As your Mount Vernon plumbers, we’re just as serious about helping your family stay healthy as we are about solving your Skagit plumbing issues.

Sewer Damage Cause #1: Tree Roots

Tree roots are one of the top external causes of problems with your sewer lines. Tree roots are attracted to the… ummm, “fertilizer”… in the wastewater. As roots grow around your pipes trying to get at these nutrients, they create cracks big and small. Tree roots have been known to crush or completely fill whole sewer lines! Even if you don’t have trees in your own yard, a neighbor’s tree could easily become your Skagit plumbing nightmare.

Sewer Damage Cause #2: Physical Obstructions

Clogs are one of the top internal causes of sewer damage. So repeat after us: “Your toilet is not a trash can.” We’ve pulled all sorts of things out of sewer pipes: garbage, toys, diapers, cooking grease, paper towels, menstrual products, even too much toilet paper at one time. All of these can lead to blockages or clogs in your sewer pipes. And even if you take care of your pipes, dirt, debris, and hair can create obstructions in your sewer lines over time.

Sewer Damage Cause #3: Rodents

We wish sewer rats were more like Remy from Ratatouille than Ratigan from The Great Mouse Detective. (Unlocked some deep childhood memories there, huh?) Unfortunately, burrowing rodents are an archenemy of sewer lines. They loosen joints, turn small cracks into big cracks, and use pipes to nest and multiply. It’s never a good sign when rodents are involved.

Sewer Damage Cause #4: Normal Wear-and-Tear

When should you call a Mount Vernon plumber about sewer issues?

Here are seven obvious signs that point to possible sewer damage:

  1. All your drains are backing up at once. If you flush the toilet and the toilet, sink, and shower drains all spit up water, there’s a clog in a main pipe somewhere.
  1. Your lawn starts to change. Indentations in your yard may indicate a break in the line or a sagging pipe. Changes to your grass are also a big red flag. Soggy patches or extra green, lush patches mean sewage is probably coming up from the pipes below and fertilizing your lawn.
  1. It smells. This is an obvious one. If it smells like sewage, it’s probably sewage.
  1. You’re growing mold. Leaking sewage pipes mean moisture in places you don’t want moisture. This can cause fungi and mold to grow in seemingly strange areas of your home. If you notice a mold spot, look for other signs of sewer damage.
  1. Your drains are slow. If your drains are slow to… well, drain… you’re on your way to a larger clog. Don’t use chemical drain cleaners, which can ultimately make the situation much worse by corroding your pipes. Try natural alternatives or calling in the pros. It’s worth it!
  1. You have a pest infestation. Remember the sewer rats? If you start seeing evidence of a rodent infestation, they might be coming in from your sewage pipes. Same with bugs like cockroaches. These pests are great at finding little cracks to wiggle through, especially underground where your sewer pipes are!

Very few people in the world would attempt a DIY fix for their sewer damage. Even if you’re one of those folks, please give us a call first! CPI Plumbing & Heating have qualified Skagit plumbers to help keep our Mount Vernon plumbing customers safe and healthy in their homes.

Scroll to Top

Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) Notice

At CPI Plumbing & Heating, we are committed to ensuring that individuals with disabilities enjoy full access to our websites. In recognition of this commitment, we are in the process of making modifications to increase the accessibility and usability of this website, using the relevant portions of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.0 (WCAG 2.0) as our standard. Please be aware that our efforts are ongoing. If at any time you have difficulty using this website or with a particular web page or function on this site, please contact us by phone at (360) 219-9468; or email us at customerservice@cpiplumbing.com and place “Web Content Accessibility (ADA)” in the subject heading and we will make all reasonable efforts to assist you.