Among the plumbing areas on your property you least want to deal with issues in, the main sewer line sits at or near the top of the list. This line is the one that combines all your drains and leads out to the public sewer system, and issues with it are some of the most costly and time-consuming of any in your system — so paying close attention to this system is important.

At City Creek Plumbing, we’re happy to offer a wide range of plumbing services through Layton and other parts of Utah, including drain cleaning and main sewer line assistance. We’re also here to offer expertise to our clients, and one important area here is the ability to recognize the early signs that something might be going wrong in your main sewer line, such as a pipe crack or a clog of some kind. This two-part blog series will go over all the most common such signs, plus what you should do if you notice them and how our plumbers will help if needed.

signs sewer line smell sounds

Major Bill Increase

One of the first signs of a problem in your main sewer line is a major increase in your water bill despite no good reason for this. It’s important to factor in things like lawn-watering during the summer, or pool-filling if you have one — these will make your water bill go up during the warm months naturally, so be sure not to confuse those with some kind of hidden issue.

If the increase is clearly significant, though, and there’s been no new construction or other major change to your house, then a problem in the main sewer line might be a good guess as to what’s going on. If you can find no other explanation, contact a professional and ask them to take a look at your main line and see what’s going on.

Rotten Egg Smell

Another sign that there is an issue with your sewer line is the occurrence of a strange, rotten egg smell in the hot water tap of your main drain. This odor sometimes also occurs when you’re showering, so you have to be on the lookout for it.

This smell is caused by hydrogen sulfide, which is basically just a chemical version of the natural gas that comes out of your water heater if something goes wrong with it. A broken main sewer line or one that is starting to back up will lead to this problem, so if you notice either one you’ll know that the issue is likely somewhere between your house and the public sewer system.

Strange Sounds

In other cases, you may notice unusual sounds coming from your main line. These will usually sound like gurgling, bubbling, or rushing sounds; they’re ones that you’ll notice when you’re in the room closest to where the main drain is located.

You may even notice these sounds when using individual plumbing fixtures, such as when you flush the toilet or run the sink. In these cases, you’ll probably notice the sound there, too, though it may be a little more muffled than when you’re next to the main line.

For more signs of a main sewer line issue, or to learn about any of our plumbing services in Layton or other areas, speak to the staff at City Creek Plumbing today.