Your home’s main sewer drain carries wastewater from every sink, toilet, shower, and floor drain to the municipal sewer system. When that main line becomes restricted, the problem can affect multiple plumbing fixtures at once. Jim Wagner Plumbing provides professional sewer drain cleaning in Elmhurst to remove blockages from the main sewer line and restore proper drainage throughout your home.
Do you have a sewer drain that is tree root infested and overflows occasionally?
Trees are not the problem when you have a tree root infested sewer drain. The design flaws with the sewer drain are the real problem. Years ago engineers introduced clay tile sewer drain pipe. This is a great product and still works well today… we have even dug up clay sewer drains that are over 75 years old and the sewer drain pipe is still good. However, the problem with these clay sewer drain pipes is the way they connect to each other. This pipe interlocks with a bell and spigot design where on one end the sewer drain pipe is larger so it goes over another piece. It makes sense, but over time, gaps occur in the interlocked sewer drain pipes. Years ago concrete mortar was used to seal these sewer drain connections. Everyone has seen how weeds grow through cracks in concrete sidewalks; tree roots enter the sewer drain the same way.
One option is professional sewer drain cleaning to remove root intrusions and restore wastewater flow through the main sewer line. Because tree roots naturally grow back over time, periodic maintenance or additional sewer line repairs may eventually be needed depending on the condition of the pipe.
Some sewer drain lines are root infested and you wouldn’t even know it. Unknown root infestations are often discovered at the most inopportune times: when guests are visiting for the holidays. The additional guests increase water use in the home. The home may be able to handle the regular use of 4 people, but the additional people will bring the tree root problem to light. Roots grow in the sewer drain and allow water to drain, it’s the waste and toilet paper that create the clog. Toilet paper is biodegradable and dissolves in a short period of time, but with added users it can’t biodegrade at the rate new waste arrives. A toilet paper clog could dam up the pipe and the length and diameter of the sewer drain can hold hundreds of gallons of water. Sometimes enough capacity to allow enough time for the toilet paper to dissolve allowing the water to drain out. This situation creates the next sewer problem plumbers refer to as the “belly”.
My sewer drain is bellied. How does that happen?
1) This happens when the ground was removed to install the sewer drain pipe the soil beneath the pipe was not fully compacted during installation. Over time the ground will settle and so will the sewer drain.
2) Another way a clay sewer drain bellies is when it fills up with water and leaks out of the sewer drain pipe at the concrete mortar connections. This saturates the soil around the sewer drain pipe. When the sewer drain pipe is unclogged, either after the blockage naturally clears or following professional sewer drain cleaning, the water saturated dirt will drain back into the sewer drain. This creates a belly in the pipe. This is easily spotted when you can see a dip in the yard where the sewer drain is located.
My sewer drain has a misalignment. How does that happen?
This happens the same way a sewer drain bellies. Refer to the “My sewer drain is bellied” section. As you know by now if you have read the “Do you have a sewer drain that is tree root infested and overflows occasionally?” section of this page. Clay sewer drain pipe is connected together with concrete mortar connections. Concrete and mortar does not really adhere very well to clay sewer drains so if your sewer drain fills up with water it can push the concrete mortar seal right out, allowing the sewer drain pipe to shift. A sewer drain shift can cause a collapse.
My sewer drain has sheared off. How does that happen?
Another common problem is a sewer drain that exits the home through the foundation wall. When a sewer drain exits the home horizontally above the basement floor it can shear off just on the outside of the foundation wall. This misalignment is known as a “shear off” referring to the brittle sewer drain cast iron pipe cracking in half and dropping usually caused by settlement. Drainage starts to leak out, eventually contaminating the seepage “rain water pump pit” causing a heavy sewer gas smell.
My sewer drain is collapsed. How does that happen?
This happens for a variety of reasons. The one we see the most is a tree root that enters the sewer drain connection as a small root and grows to the point where it will break the sewer drain pipe, creating a collapse.
If your home has experienced recurring sewer drain backups, periodic professional cleaning may help reduce future blockages and keep wastewater flowing properly. Our team can recommend a maintenance schedule based on the age and condition of your sewer line. Call us at (630) 577-9241 for a free consultation.
What Are the Signs Your Main Sewer Drain Needs Professional Cleaning?
If multiple drains in your home are slowing down at the same time, the problem may be in the main sewer drain rather than a single sink or shower. Homeowners often notice toilets that gurgle, water backing up into basement floor drains, recurring sewer odors, or backups that affect more than one plumbing fixture.
Unlike isolated drain clogs, main sewer drain blockages usually develop over time as grease, debris, tree roots, or years of buildup reduce the pipe’s ability to carry wastewater away from the home. Cleaning the sewer drain before a complete blockage occurs can help restore normal flow and reduce the risk of messy backups.
Why Routine Sewer Drain Cleaning Can Help Prevent Major Plumbing Problems
Many sewer drain problems don’t happen overnight. As waste, toilet paper, grease, root intrusion, and other debris restrict the main sewer line, wastewater begins moving more slowly and backups may become increasingly frequent.
Routine sewer drain cleaning helps remove these obstructions before they develop into larger plumbing problems. For older homes throughout Elmhurst, periodic sewer maintenance can also help identify developing issues before they result in emergency repairs or property damage.
If a technician discovers damaged piping, root intrusion, or structural defects during the cleaning process, additional sewer line services may be recommended based on the condition of the pipe.
Why Does My Sewer Drain Keep Backing Up?
A sewer drain that repeatedly backs up often indicates that the underlying cause has never been fully addressed. While a temporary clearing may restore drainage for a short time, recurring blockages can point to heavy buildup, invasive tree roots, deteriorating sewer pipes, or sections of the line that have shifted over time.
Professional sewer drain cleaning removes accumulated debris so the system can be properly evaluated. If recurring backups continue after cleaning, further inspection may be recommended to determine whether repair or replacement of the sewer line is necessary.
When Is Sewer Drain Cleaning the Right Solution?
Professional sewer drain cleaning is often recommended when the blockage affects the home’s main drain line rather than a single plumbing fixture. Unlike routine drain cleaning, which focuses on individual sinks, tubs, or floor drains, sewer drain cleaning restores the primary pipe that carries wastewater from the entire home to the municipal sewer system.
Depending on what is found during the service, the most appropriate cleaning method will vary. Some sewer drain problems can be resolved with conventional cleaning methods, while more severe buildup or recurring blockages may require a different approach. Our technicians evaluate the condition of the sewer line first and recommend the solution that best fits the problem.