You flush the toilet and pull open the curtain to step into the shower for your morning cold-water-wake-up blast only to find dirty water pooled at the bottom. You could grab a plunger and add a round of unwanted exercise to your morning routine, but that won’t solve this problem. Your shower is likely backed up because you have a clogged main line, and unfortunately, this is a common plumbing problem – annoying as it is. Luckily, Five Star Plumbing in San Antonio, TX, is here to help!
It’s Technically Your Sewer Line
Although called a shower line above, the actual culprit behind a shower full of dirty water is your sewer line. This is the main line in your home’s plumbing system. Everything feeds into this line. It handles a tremendous amount of water and debris on a daily basis, especially if you have a family member who uses a lot of toilet paper. As long as it isn’t impeded, however, the water flows away from your home without a hitch.
If there is a clog, the water will back up. As with a septic system, if the water has nowhere to go, it pools back into the nearest outlet, but don’t think a clog is the only thing that can stop the flow in your sewer line, and don’t think the water will only flow into your shower. Severely clogged lines can back water into your bathtubs, sinks, and even back into your toilet. Even if the water eventually drains, you still have a problem.
Causes of Clogs
Aside from too much toilet paper or other debris, such as toys that your toddlers sent for a toilet-flush swim, grease can also clog your sewer line. You already know it can clog your pipes, but the oily water that makes it past the drain and in-home piping can build up in your sewer line. It’s wise to avoid flushing feminine products down the toilet, too. Yes, certain products are flushable, but they can clog your line anyway. Finally, tree roots can impede the line and this is a very common cause of stoppage.
How to Fix the Clog
Unfortunately, a clogged sewer line is not a do-it-yourself project, and plunging does not help. The action won’t dislodge anything that far down. Five Star Plumbing, located in both San Antonio, conducts video inspections to find the source of sewer line blocks. They will then auger the line to clear it or cut tree roots away and replace any damaged plumbing.
