Multiple drains backing up? It is probably the main line
When the tub fills with water every time you flush, or every drain in the house is slow at once, the problem is not one drain. It is a main line clog in the sewer pipe that all of them share.
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Why are multiple drains backing up at the same time?
Several drains backing up at once almost always means a clog in the main sewer line, the pipe that carries everything from the house to the city sewer or septic tank. Water comes up at the lowest drain first, usually a basement floor drain, a tub or a shower. Stop using water and call a plumber; the main line has to be cleared from a cleanout.
- Stop using water now
- Lowest drains back up first
- Toilets gurgle or bubble
- Cleared from the cleanout
Signs it is the main line
Look for:
- Water coming up in the tub or shower when you flush
- Gurgling in toilets when sinks drain
- Several drains slow at the same time
- Sewage smell from floor drains
- Water around the sewer cleanout outside
- Problems after heavy rain
What to do right now
Stop running water
Every flush, shower or load of laundry adds water that has nowhere to go but up the lowest drain.
Do not use chemicals
Drain cleaner will not reach a main line clog and makes the line dangerous to open.
Find the cleanout
Usually a capped pipe in the yard near the house, or in the crawl space. Do not open it if it is under pressure.
Call a plumber
We clear main lines from the cleanout and can camera the line to find the cause.
What causes main line clogs
In the Upstate, the usual causes are tree roots in older clay or cast iron lines, grease from years of kitchen use, wipes and paper towels, and sections of pipe that have sagged or broken in shifting red clay. Homes on septic can back up when the tank is full or the line to it is blocked.
Clearing the clog gets water moving again. If it was roots or a damaged pipe, it will come back. That is why we recommend a sewer camera inspection after a main line backup, so you know whether cleaning is enough or the line needs repair.
Whose problem is it: yours or the city's?
The private sewer line from your house to the connection at the main is generally the homeowner's responsibility. If your neighbors are backing up too, or the city or sewer district is working on the main, call your sewer provider first. We can camera the line to show where the blockage is.
Main line clog: common questions
Why does my tub fill up when I flush the toilet?
The main line is blocked, so water from the toilet backs up to the lowest drain, which is often the tub.
Can I use the bathroom with a main line clog?
Avoid it. Every flush adds water that will come up the lowest drain.
Is a main line clog an emergency?
If sewage is coming up into the house, yes. Stop using water and call.
What is a sewer cleanout?
A capped access pipe on the sewer line, usually outside near the foundation, used to clear and inspect the line.
How do I prevent main line clogs?
Keep grease and wipes out of the drains, and have the line cleaned and inspected if you have large trees or an older clay or cast iron line.
I am on septic. Is it the tank?
It might be. If the tank is due for pumping, call a septic company. If the tank is fine, the line between the house and the tank may be blocked, which we clear.
Ready when you are
Tell us what's going on.
A Master Plumber will find the cause, explain it in plain terms, and put your options in writing before any work starts.
- A licensed Master Plumber on every job
- Serving the Upstate since 2010
- Written prices, every job