Sewer backups are the most inconvenient and frustrating things to happen in your home. They’re disgusting, toxic, and expensive to clean. Basically, life has to stop until you handle the sewer backup. To avoid these awful disasters, it’s important to recognize the signs, so you can deal with it right away and call the professionals.

Pay Attention to Your Toilets

The very first sign of a backup in your sewer or drain line is a slow draining or gurgling toilet. The gurgling may be constant or only last for a few minutes. It may also sound like a simmering, almost like a coffee pot percolating. The second you notice something strange happening in your toilets, call your septic tank company right away. If all the toilets in your home are gurgling, that’s a big sign that there’s a blockage in your main drain line.

Locate the Cleanout

Outside your home, there should be a four-inch white pipe sticking outside of the ground. This is the drain cleanout. Taking the cap off may release some pressure so that some of the backed-up material can be released. After all, it’s better to have sewage in the yard than in the home. If you’re able to see standing water inside the cleanout, you definitely have a backup on your hands. Not every home has a cleanout, so if you can’t find one, don’t panic. A professional will be able to take it from here.

Turn Off the Water

While you’re waiting for a professional to come to your rescue, turn off the water in your home. This will cut down on the likelihood of more backups and water damage inside the home. Call the pros and remember not to try to clean up any raw sewage yourself.

Affordable Pumping Services can help with any sort of backup, so call at the first sign of a problem. We offer 24/7 Emergency Service, so take a deep breath and call the pros!