Hot weather can make hidden plumbing problems more noticeable. If you’re noticing strong odors, slow drains, or gurgling sounds from your pipes, you may be dealing with a sewer or drain issue exacerbated by rising temperatures. Below, we address common homeowner questions about summer sewer and drain issues and provide guidance on how to resolve them.
Why Does My Home Smell Like Sewage in the Summer?
The reason that your home may smell like sewage during the summer months typically comes down to an issue with your plumbing or drainage system that is exacerbated by high heat and humidity levels. If you have areas in your home that don’t receive regular use, the water inside the p-trap can dry out over time. Without water inside the p-trap, toxic sewer odors can flow back out of the sink, shower, or other plumbing fixture. Simply running the water for about 30 seconds will refill the p-trap and should minimize the odor.
If you notice that all of your drains seem to have a sewage odor radiating from them, it could be due to a partial clog in your sewer line. You’ll likely also notice issues like slow drainage that can indicate an underlying problem. It’s typically best to have one of our plumbing professionals do a thorough cleaning and video inspection of your sewer line to identify any issues like tree root intrusion or pipe damage. If your sewer line is damaged, you may notice a more pronounced sewage smell outside because wastewater is leaking under your lawn, requiring sewer service from a repair professional.
One other cause of a foul sewage odor in your home is blocked plumbing vents. For all your plumbing fixtures to function correctly, they must be able to release sewer gas to the outdoors. If the vent becomes blocked with debris, such as animal nesting material or leaves, it can push the toxic sewage odor back into your home. This problem can be easily fixed by removing whatever the blockage is over your vent pipe so that gases can properly vent outside.
Can Tree Roots Affect My Sewer Lines?
Tree roots are one of the most damaging problems for household sewer lines. While a brand new sewer line won’t have any cracking in it, aging sewer lines can develop cracks as the ground naturally shifts throughout the seasons. Tree roots can enter your sewer line through even small cracks, drawn in by the moisture and nutrients found in wastewater.
As tree roots grow through any susceptible areas in your sewer line, they will become thicker and spread the cracks, making them even larger. This leads to more root intrusion into your sewage line, which will eventually restrict the flow of wastewater through the pipe. Furthermore, tree roots can easily trap materials in your sewage, such as toilet paper, and create a larger clog.
If you suspect you have tree root intrusion inside your sewer line, it’s best to get hydro-jetting service. This is where we use a special high-pressure water jetter system to bust up the tree roots inside your sewage line so we can clear it out and restore the normal drainage of your wastewater.
What Causes Slow Drains or Gurgling Toilets in Hot Weather?
If you’re experiencing slow drainage, it’s best to check all of your plumbing fixtures. If the drainage is only slow at one or two fixtures, the issue likely lies with a partial clog in that drain line for those fixtures. However, if the issue of slow drainage is happening at all your plumbing fixtures, it’s an indication that you have a partial clog in your main sewer line.
Gurgling noises from any of your fixtures also indicate a blockage somewhere in your line. Whenever you flush your toilet or send water down your sink drains, air travels with it. However, if your sewer line is blocked, that air has nowhere to go, so it reverses course and rises back up through your plumbing. This is what creates that distinctive gurgling noise that indicates a problem.
Plumbing clogs are more common during the hot and humid season than at any other time of the year. This is due to a number of different factors, with increased water usage being one of the biggest. It’s likely your family is taking more showers, leading to more soap scum, hair, and other buildup inside your drain and sewer lines. Even having more guests over throughout the summer can increase your water usage and the likelihood of experiencing a plumbing clog.
If you suspect that you have a plumbing clog, it’s important to respond quickly to remedy it before it turns into a complete backup of your sewer line. Our professionals can perform traditional drain cleaning via drain augering as well as newer hydro-jetting techniques that will scour the inside of your piping to remove any buildup of debris.
How Do I Know If I Have a Sewer Line Blockage?
Sewer line blockages are one of the most common problems that homeowners experience with their household plumbing systems. It’s always important to be on the lookout for any early warning signs that you’re dealing with a blockage so we can solve the problem before it causes a big issue for your home.
One of the most obvious signs of an issue is slow drainage or multiple drains throughout your home backing up. Some earlier warning signs include foul sewage odors in or outside your house, gurgling noises from your plumbing fixtures, and frequent clogs within your plumbing system.
What Is a Sewer Camera Inspection, and Do I Need One?
A sewer camera inspection is where one of our plumbers will send a camera attached to a flexible cable down your sewer access and into your sewer line. They’ll be able to examine all of the walls of your sewer pipe to determine if there are any cracks, tree root intrusion, or other issues. This will reveal problems like pipe bellies and any partial collapse that your sewer line may have.
We recommend getting a sewer line inspection once a year so we can catch any problems with your line as early as possible. Repairing sewer line issues is a big priority because letting them go can create massive problems like local groundwater contamination.
How Can I Prevent Drain and Sewer Problems in My Home?
As a homeowner, there are multiple steps you can take to proactively minimize your risk of experiencing problems with your drain and sewer lines. One of the most important things to do is to schedule an annual inspection and drain cleaning service to remove any debris from your sewer line and identify any potential issues. Additionally, be cautious about what you put down your sinks and toilets. Avoid flushing wipes, feminine hygiene products, coffee grounds, pasta, fats, oils, and or any grease down your drains.
Contact Your Local Plumbing Experts
Big League Plumbing offers reliable rooter service for the San Pedro, CA area. We can also help with all your hydro-jetting, sewer service, drain cleaning, drain repair, camera inspection, and trenchless sewer repair needs. Contact us today to schedule an appointment with one of our experienced plumbers.
