America’s public water infrastructure is in rough shape and will take hundreds of billions to repair. A big part of the problem is that the pipes themselves are old, with many of them decades beyond their projected end of life.

Homeowners bear responsibility for the sewer lines on their property. Unfortunately for them, the sewer lines on their property are often nearly as old as the public lines to which they connect. That means you can face sewer line leaks or breaks as the pipes fail.

Keep reading and we’ll give you key signs that you need a sewer line repair.

1. Unusual Sogginess in Your Lawn

One clear sign of a sewer line problem is when an area of your lawn turns soggy when it never has before. In more severe cases, you may even see a pool of water form in part of your lawn. 

Unlike sogginess or pooled water from rainfall, this area of your lawn will remain soggy or filled with pooled water until you get the sewer line fixed.

2. Cracks in Your Foundation

If the sewer line cracks or breaks close to your home, it can cause serious cracks in your foundation. The leaking sewage saturates the soil in one area, which causes uneven soil expansion.

That soil expansion puts pressure on your foundation in a relatively small area. The focused pressure can crack the joints between bricks or concrete blocks.

3. Foul Smell

Another common problem that signals an issue with your sewer line is a foul smell. Often, people notice the smell emanating from the toilet or less often from sink or shower drains.

You might also notice an unpleasant sewage smell outside if the leak saturates the soil in part of your yard.

4. Oddly Lush or Fast-Growing Grass

As unpleasant and unhealthy as sewage is for people, it makes for very good plant fertilizer. A minor leak from your sewage line might show up in your lawn as an area where the grass begins growing very fast or becomes very lush for no apparent reason.

5. Slow Drains

Slow drains often prove tricky business to diagnose properly. The clog can crop up anywhere from the drain entrance clear out to the sewer line. It takes a pro to determine exactly where a clog is and what will fix it.

If the clog is in your sewer pipe, it is often a sign of line damage that needs some form of repair or replacement.

Parting Thoughts on Signs You Need Sewer Line Repair

The aging water and sewer infrastructure isn’t just a public works problem. It’s also a problem for homeowners whose sewer pipes may prove decades old and out of date. That’s why it’s important that you keep an eye out for signs that you need a sewer line repair.

Louis Mechanical Contractors brings over 60 years of experience to both small residential and major commercial plumbing jobs. For more information or to schedule a consultation, contact Louis Mechanical Contractors today.