Key takeaways

  • Recurring clogs and slow drains are often the first sign
  • Gurgling and odors point to a venting or blockage problem
  • Wet, sunken or unusually green patches can mean a leak
  • A camera inspection is the only way to be sure

Drain symptoms

Slow drains throughout the house, clogs that return after cleaning and gurgling sounds when water runs elsewhere point toward the main line rather than a single fixture. Toilets that bubble when the washing machine drains are a classic sign.

A single slow drain is more likely a local clog. When several fixtures act up at once, look downstream.

Smells and sounds

Sewer odors indoors or in the yard can come from a dry trap, a vent problem or a leaking line. Persistent smells outside, especially near a particular spot, are worth investigating.

Gurgling in drains means air is being pulled through the water, often because of a partial blockage.

Changes in the yard

Unusually lush grass along a line, damp or soggy ground, small sinkholes and settling soil over the sewer path can all point to a leaking or broken pipe. Rodents or insects appearing in the house sometimes follow a broken pipe too.

If the ground above the line is sinking, call soon.

What to do next

Do not guess. A recorded camera inspection shows what is going on inside the pipe, usually in under an hour. From there the options range from cleaning and monitoring to lining or replacement.

Keep the video. It is a record of the pipe’s condition at that time.

Quick answers

Is a slow drain always a sewer problem?

No. A single slow drain is often a local clog. Several at once point toward the main.

How urgent is a sinking lawn?

It can mean a collapsing pipe or voids around it, so it is worth a camera inspection soon.

Have a pipe question?

Call (615) 952-0844 or send the form below, and we will suggest a recorded camera inspection and the options that fit.