8 Signs You May Have a Main Sewer Line Clog in Ontario

Your main sewer line is probably one of the most neglected plumbing fixtures at home because you don’t see it. Each time you flush the toilet or do the dishes, all that dirty water obviously goes somewhere, but where exactly? You may not ask yourself this question until you experience a sewer line blockage that manifests itself in the form of clogged drains. But there is a lot more to drain clogs than you can imagine, and only a licensed plumber could help treat and prevent a main sewer line clog in Ontario.

Our expert team of Ontario plumbers has treated numerous clogged sewer lines, from professional inspections to drain pipe cleaning and plumbing repairs. Trust your local professionals at Hy-Pro Plumbing & Drain Cleaning to recover your plumbing system’s original functions! Call for an efficient plumbing inspection today at 877-554-9776 and speak with one of our friendly customer service staff!

What Does The Main Sewer Line Do?

Your home’s sewer line, often referred to as the main line, main drain, or private sewer lateral is the main responsible pipe that collects all your household wastewater and directs it away from your property. It’s located underground outside your home. If you have a lower level, you may see all your household drains connecting to a part of your sewer pipe, which is typically four inches in diameter. The rest of it is buried underground and connects to the municipal sewer in the streets. As a property owner, you are responsible for your own sewer lateral up until it meets the city lines.

What Causes Clogged Sewer Lines?

In Ontario, a lot can affect your plumbing system’s functions besides bad household habits and a high level of water hardness. Certain things to watch out for, include:

• Tree root intrusion: If you live nearby trees, you could fall victim to tree roots invading your pipe. Perhaps there was already a small sewer pipe damage evident that included a water leak. In that case, the roots will eagerly grow towards it and even break into your main line, causing a clog.

• Shifting soil: Unfortunately, Southwest Ontario is not known to have the best soil conditions. If you have a slowly permeable soil that requires routine replenishing if you want your plants and crops to thrive. Besides causing foundation issues, soil shifting can also wreak havoc on your sewer system, creating damage and major clogs.

• Heavy rain: Heavy rainfall or even torrential rain is not uncommon in the high summer or early fall. While the city is busy inspecting and optimizing the public sewer system regularly, sewer backups can still occur when the storm sewers get overwhelmed and clog up. That’s when all the waste gets pushed back to your property. Unless you have a backwater valve installation, you could experience raw sewage overflowing your home.

8 Warning Signs You Have A Main Sewer Line Clog

Tell-tale signs of a main sewer line clog are often insidious, which means that it could start with a small scenario, such as a clogged sink or a toilet clog. But the matter lies in its severity and frequency. Some common warning signs you have a main sewer line clog in Ontario are:

Slow Drains

If your bath water takes a long time to drain, you will know that a partial blockage is causing this issue. Over time, it will develop into a more serious problem and add stress to your sewer line pipe. This includes slow-draining water in your kitchen sink and shower drains.

Pesky Drain Flies

Have you ever looked into your sink drain opening and noticed sludge buildup around your pipe walls? That sludge consists of saliva, toothpaste, mineral deposits and food waste. While it may be easy to clear with an old toothbrush, there is an even more serious buildup further down the drain that contains a lot more organic matter and standing water. That’s a sign of poor sewage drainage. Standing water is a top breeding ground for bacteria and, thus, sink flies. You will need drain cleaning and inspection, as well as pest control services.

Sewer Gas Smells/Foul Odors

Smelling hydrogen sulfide and ammonia? Bad smells may signal a minor issue in your p-trap, which is the p-shaped curvy pipe under your sink or toilet. They are designed to trap unpleasant odors, so they don’t rise to the surface. Either you have a clogged p-trap or the smells are coming from a main sewer line clog.

Gurgling Toilets

It may not strike you as weird when your toilet gurgles at first because each toilet type seems to have a different flushing sound, but actual gurgles indicate a nearby blockage. There is a chance you can break through that clog with a plunger or toilet auger, but if the problem lies deeper down the line, it could be a main sewer line clog that needs the attention of your local plumbers in Ontario.

Recurring Clogs

You may be proud of unblocking your toilet and sink the first time, but if those clogs return and become more stubborn or cause multiple clogged drains, you will know you have a clogged sewer line.

Backed-Up Floor Drain

This is easily confused with a clogged sewer line, but your floor drain is actually a part of your household waste line that happens to be closest to your main sewer line. Clogs are common and can be solved with a plunger or an auger. But we still recommend regular inspections to ensure that it’s free from debris and other types of blockages. In the event of a main sewer line clog, that is where the overflow would most likely occur unless you have a backwater valve installed.

Leaky Sewer Line Cleanout

Also known as the sewer trap, your cleanout is situated either outside your home or inside in the lowest area. It’s designed to allow plumbing technicians to easily access and treat your main sewer line clog. If it appears to be leaking, our Ontario plumber recommends unscrewing the cap to release some pressure.

Soggy Patches on Lawn

This is a more serious issue indicating that you have an underground pipe leak which could be caused by a main sewer line clog, either household-related or tree root growth. A licensed plumber will need to further investigate this with a video camera inspection.

How Does Hy-Pro Treat A Main Sewer Line Clog?

Hydro Jetting

Our HydroScrub® Jetting technology is a high-pressure water jet unit, designed to cut through clogs and the interior walls of plumbing pipes. It’s known as a non-invasive plumbing solution for effective cleaning. Drain cleaning is one of our most popular routine maintenance services, during which our certified plumbers break through tough clogs using high-pressure water jets. In this case, the cable will be lowered down the cleanout pipe to access the main sewer. The nozzle can blast through the clogged sewer line using a psi level of 3000 and also use rotating jets to properly clear the pipe walls.

How To Prevent Future Main Sewer Line Clogs in Ontario?

Preventive measures start with making changes to your household habits. When looking back, you may feel guilty about washing oils and fats down your kitchen sink or flushing wet wipes and hair down your toilet. Without a trusted Ontario plumber to learn from, you may not know which habits are bad.

Do Not Flush Garbage Down Your Toilet, Including:

• Hair
• Wet baby wipes (even when it says flushable)
• Paper towels
• Cigarette butts
• Feminine hygiene products
• Q-Tips
• Dental floss

Important: The above-mentioned items are the main culprits behind a clogged sewer line. The problem is that they don’t break down like solid waste (human waste) or dissolve like toilet paper; thus, it’s much easier for those items to cause major blockages in the drain lines and main line.

Do Not Wash Food Waste Down Your Sink, Including:

• Fats, oils, grease
• Food leftover
• Solid food waste, including pieces of bones or expansive foods like rice, quinoa, or oats

Important: It’s too easy to cook bacon and dispose of the hot fat in your sink, but this could lead to fatal consequences. The smoke point of fat is around 200 °C, but your PVC drain pipe can only handle up to 60 °F and a PEX pipe 90 °F. If the temperature goes beyond what they can handle, you could experience immediate system failure.

Hire Annual Drain Cleaning Services And Inspections

Nothing will restore your peace of mind more than having a professional plumber in Ontario routinely inspect your drain lines and give them a rinse. This way, small blockages will be dealt with quickly before they turn into nasty future clogs. The perks you get with Hy-Pro Plumbing & Drain Cleaning is that we always go the extra mile to ensure your pipework is in working order and will remain this way for years to come. Our professional plumbers always provide an in-depth routine maintenance service that includes a professional video inspection. Also, periodic sewer line cleaning is advised if you experience frequent clogs or have an older plumbing system.

Got A Main Sewer Line Clog in Ontario? Call Hy-Pro Today!

Are you ready for your plumbing diagnosis and inspection? Regular inspections and protective plumbing devices are your best options for maintaining healthy pipes. Call 877-554-9776 today to book your in-home appointment!

Hy-Pro Plumbing & Drain Cleaning proudly serves our local communities in Southwestern Ontario and surrounding areas, including Hamilton, Oakville and Kitchener-Waterloo.