Sewer backup: what to do first
A sewer backup is a health hazard. Raw sewage carries bacteria, so keep children and pets away, do not walk through standing water barefoot and do not run the washing machine, dishwasher or showers. Every drop sent down the drain goes to the same blocked line.
Open a window if the smell is strong and stay away from outlets and appliances in the wet area. Then call the dispatch line. Photograph the damage before cleanup, because an insurer may ask for it.
- Stop all water use, including toilets, showers, laundry and dishwashers.
- Keep everyone out of the affected rooms until the line is cleared.
- Locate the cleanout, usually a capped pipe near the house or the property line.
- Take photos and note when the backup began.
- Call the 24/7 line and describe which drains are backing up.
Main line cleaning versus a drain clog
A clogged sink or tub sits on a branch line, and a cable fixes it in a visit. Main line cleaning reaches the large pipe that carries everything from the house to the sewer connection. It needs a bigger cable machine, a long run and, in many cases, a hydro jetter. The plumber works from the cleanout or, with no cleanout, through a toilet or a roof vent.
If your issue is one slow fixture, read drain cleaning instead. If the same line backs up repeatedly, hydro jetting cleans the pipe wall and keeps the opening wide.
Common causesWhat blocks a main sewer line
Tree roots
Roots enter at joints and spread into a mat that catches paper. Older clay and cast iron lines are the usual targets.
Grease and wipes
Cooking fat builds up and so-called flushable wipes do not break down, which together form a plug.
A belly in the pipe
A sag where the pipe has settled holds water and solids, so blockages form in the same low spot.
A broken or offset joint
A displaced joint catches debris. Cleaning opens the line but the repair is a separate job.
How the cleaning is done
Locate access
The plumber finds the cleanout and checks how far the blockage sits from it.
Cable or jet
A heavy cable breaks through the blockage, then a cutter or jetter cleans the walls.
Camera confirmation
When the cause is unclear, a camera run shows roots, a belly or damage so you know whether it will return.
The sewer on your side and the city's side
The City of Sanger operates the sewer collection system and two treatment plants, one for domestic wastewater and one for industrial flow. A blockage inside your house or between the house and the connection is a plumbing problem we clear. Where the city's pipe begins and yours ends is a question for Sanger Public Works, and it is worth asking before paying for work in the street.
If the backup is in the city main rather than your lateral, other homes on the street will be backing up too. Call the city's public works office to report it, and call us if your house still needs cleanup help.
Local housingWhy older Sanger lines back up
The city's housing element reports that more than half of Sanger homes, 53 percent, are more than 30 years old, and about 29 percent are more than 50 years old. The housing element describes the original downtown core, roughly a square mile, as an area of older housing. Homes like that may have laterals that have been in the ground for decades, and old pipe materials roughen over time and collect roots at their joints.
If your home is older and the line has backed up more than once, ask for a camera run after the cleaning. The video from our sewer inspection shows whether the line needs only routine cleaning or a repair.
What affects the price of sewer line cleaning
Main line cleaning is priced by access and effort. You get a clear price before work starts, and the plumber tells you if the job changes once the cable goes in.
Insurance may help with cleanup after a sudden backup but usually does not cover the cleaning itself. Ask your insurer about sewer backup coverage. To learn your price, call (855) 575-2890.
Sewage backing up? Call now.
Our dispatchers take emergency sewer line calls 24/7 and book same-day visits when available.
Rules for sewer work
The sewer main in the street is run by the city, according to the City of Sanger, which operates its own sewer system. Where the city's responsibility ends and yours begins varies, so confirm the boundary with the city before authorizing work. Plumbing work is done under a C-36 license from the Contractors State License Board, and you can look up any license on the CSLB website.
FAQSewer line cleaning questions
Yes. Emergency sewer line cleaning is available 24/7, including nights, weekends and holidays, with same-day visits when available.
If more than one fixture backs up, or the lowest drain in the house shows sewage, the main line is the likely cause. A single slow fixture points to a branch line.
It depends on the cause. A one-time paper clog may not return. Roots, a belly in the pipe or heavy grease will, so a camera inspection helps you plan.
Call a plumber first if the backup is inside your house. If neighbors have the same problem, the city main may be involved, and Sanger Public Works is the contact.