Fast Plumbing Answers: Signs of a Collapsed Sewer Line

Did that soggy patch in your yard start to sink overnight? Is sewage backing up into your tub and outdoor drains? These are telltale signs of a collapsed sewer line. So what do you do now?

Don’t worry: we’ll answer all your questions in 2 minutes or less.

We’re Mother, a Dallas-Fort Worth plumbing company that provides dependable, hassle-free modern plumbing for homeowners who value quality. Call us ASAP to inspect your collapsed sewer line and provide a safe, cost-effective repair solution.

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The Fast Answer: 8 Signs of a Collapsed Sewer Line

There are 8 glaring warning signs of a sewer line collapse in your backyard or underneath your home. Look for 4 outside your home in the yard, and 4 inside your house.

In Your House

The effects of a collapsed sewer line manifest inside your home in 4 ways:

1. Multiple Slow Drains: A single slow drain is usually a localized issue. But multiple sluggish drains throughout your house point to a problem in the main sewer line.
2. Gurgling Sounds: Hear unusual gurgling sounds coming from your drains or toilets after running water or flushing? This indicates trapped air due to a blockage or collapse.
3. Sewage Backup in Toilets or Showers: Sewage backing up into your toilets, showers, or bathtubs is an alarming sight. This occurs when a severe sewer blockage prevents wastewater from leaving your home.
4. Water Level Changes in Toilets: When the water level in your toilet bowl rises and falls on its own, it’s a symptom of pressure changes in your home sewer system. This is caused by a blockage or collapse in the main sewer line.

In Your Backyard/Underground

These telltale signs outside your home indicate a collapsed sewer line beneath the surface:

1. Sewage Odor: Notice persistent and strong smell of raw sewage in your yard, especially near plumbing access points or low-lying areas? This is usually the first most significant warning sign that you have a collapsed sewer pipe.
2. Soggy or Lush Patches: Look for unusual patches of wet or overly green and lush grass in your yard, when the rest of the lawn is dry. 
3. Depressions or Sinkholes: A noticeable dip or sinkhole in your yard indicates that the surrounding soil is washing away due to a break or collapse in the sewer line.
4. Sewage Backup in Outdoor Drains: Sewage backing up in your outdoor drains or sewer cleanout is a clear indication of a blockage or collapse further down the line.

Your Sewer Line Collapsed: Here’s How it Happened

Sewer line collapses happen because your pipe materials degraded over time. This is usually due to 4 key issues:

1. Shifting soil expands and contracts, placing stress on your sewer line
2. Intrusive tree roots burst through your pipe wall
3. Accumulation of fats, oil and grease in your sewer pipe
4. Heavy loads on the ground above your sewer line

We live and work in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. Aging homes in our area have existing cast iron, clay and Orangeburg sewer pipes. If you still have these pipe materials, they’re well past their expected lifespan.

5 Ways a Collapsed Sewer Pipe Hurts DFW Homeowners

Dallas-Fort Worth is a beautiful place to live — but a particularly awful place to have a sewer belly or collapsed pipe.

Our expansive clay soil, aggressive tree roots and unpredictable rain and freezing events lead to a host of sewer line issues over time.

• Property Damage: Sewage backups cause significant damage to flooring, walls, and personal belongings. The humid climate in Dallas-Fort Worth accelerates this damage, leading to mold growth and further structural issues.
• Health Hazards: Raw sewage contains harmful bacteria and pathogens that pose serious health risks to you and your family. 
• Environmental Contamination: Leaking sewage contaminates the surrounding soil and groundwater. If the city determines it’s coming from your yard, expect a fine.
• Foundation Issues: A significant leak from a collapsed sewer line affects the stability of your home's foundation. When expansive clay soil swells and shifts, it stresses your foundation — this causes slab leaks and structural damage.
• Increased Costs: Delaying repairs only leads to more extensive and costly repairs down the line. 

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The best repair options for your sewer problem’s location

Here’s a bit of good news: full sewer pipe replacement isn’t always necessary Homeowners have a variety of options depending on the severity of the damage.

If your plumber states the issue isn’t severe, ask about these location-specific repair options.

• Sewer pipe reroute: Great if your drains are located along outside walls
• Partial sewer line replacement: If only one branch line is affected
• Spot repair: Minimal damage, best for sewer issues within the home.

Trenchless sewer repair is popular for its no-dig, non-invasive technology, but most main private sewer lines are too wide for pipe lining to be effective. Opt for pipe bursting if you need trenchless pipe replacement.

Collapsed Sewer Line? Call a Plumber ASAP

You absolutely need a plumber to handle a sewer line collapse. Every time.

We recently handled an emergency call where the homeowner attempted to dig up and patch a broken sewer pipe himself. Unfortunately, this resulted in a greater collapse and a costly partial sewer line replacement. DIY sewer fixes lead to exposure to hazardous sewage, wastewater and broken sewer pipe materials. 

Also, there’s no “band aid” for a sewer collapse. It’s not a pesky surface clog you can “limp along” with for months — call a plumber immediately before the problem gets worse.

Call Mother for Prompt, Stress-Free Sewer Line Services

If you live in Dallas-Fort Worth, call us for expert, non-invasive sewer line inspection service. If there’s a serious issue, our plumbing experts offer a hassle-free quote for sewer line repair or replacement.

Here's what to expect when you call Mother Modern Plumbing to address a collapsed sewer line:

1. Prompt Response: We dispatch a qualified plumber to your Dallas-Fort Worth home as quickly as possible.
2. Thorough Inspection: Our experienced technicians conduct a comprehensive inspection of your plumbing system. This includes a sewer line camera inspection and hydrostatic testing to pinpoint the exact location and extent of the collapse.
3. Accurate Diagnosis: We accurately diagnose the cause of the sewer line collapse, whether it's due to pipe deterioration, root intrusion, soil shifting, or other factors.
4. Clear Explanation and Options: We clearly explain the problem, then outline the necessary repair or replacement options with transparent pricing quotes.
5. Professional Repair or Replacement: Our skilled plumbers have the expertise and equipment to handle all types of sewer line repairs or replacements efficiently and effectively.
6. Cleanup and Restoration: We ensure the work area is properly cleaned after the repair or replacement is complete.
7. Preventative Advice: We offer advice on how to maintain your sewer line and prevent future issues.

Talk to us about your collapsed sewer line — get back your peace of mind.

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