Main Line Clogs & Sewer Backups in Tampa, FL
When one sink is slow, the clog is usually in that sink. When the toilets, tubs and floor drains all act up at once, or water comes up in the shower when someone flushes, the blockage is further down, in the main line that carries everything out of the house. That is a job for a plumber, and the sooner the better.
Signs the Main Line Is Clogged
- Water or sewage comes up in the tub or shower when a toilet is flushed.
- More than one drain is slow or backing up at the same time.
- Toilets gurgle, or the water level in the bowl rises and falls on its own.
- The washing machine drain overflows into a tub or floor drain.
- Water is seeping out of the sewer cleanout in the yard.
What to Do Right Now
- Stop using water. Every flush, shower and load of laundry has to go somewhere, and with the main line blocked, it comes back up through the lowest drain in the house.
- Skip the chemical drain cleaners. They rarely reach a main line clog, and they make the pipe dangerous to work on.
- Keep people and pets away from any sewage that has come up, and call us.
How We Clear It
We open the line at the cleanout and clear the blockage with a cable machine, or with a water jet for grease and heavy build-up. Once the water is flowing, we can run a camera down the line to see what caused the clog. That matters: a clog from wipes or grease is a one-time problem, but roots or a broken pipe will cause the same backup again until they are fixed.
Why Main Lines Clog
- Tree roots growing in through the pipe joints, very common in Tampa yards.
- Grease from the kitchen that hardens inside the pipe.
- "Flushable" wipes, which do not break down the way toilet paper does.
- A sagging or broken section of pipe where waste collects.
If the backups keep coming back, a sewer camera inspection will show why. If the line is damaged, see sewer line repair and replacement.
Services Areas
