Sewage coming up through your bathtub is more than just gross. It poses a major health risk as sewage contains harmful bacteria and microorganisms that can be dangerous if exposed to them. While your tub or shower will certainly need a deep cleaning when this occurs, you’ll first need to get to the root of the issue.
If you notice sewage coming up through your bathtub, research Tampa, Florida licensed plumbers right away to get it fixed.
Why Sewage Is Coming Up Through Your Bathtub
The most common reason for sewage coming up through your bathtub is a clogged sewer line. All the sinks, toilets, and tubs connect to a single drain pipe that leads to the sewer line under your house. This drain line carries all wastewater and sewage away from your home to the city’s sewer system.
When the sewer line becomes clogged or blocked, wastewater has nowhere to go but back toward your house. This results in sewage coming up through your drains, often starting with your tub or shower.
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The sewer line can become blocked by anything, but the most common culprits include:
Hair- Cooking oils and grease
- Food waste
- Soap particles
- Children’s toys
- Jewelry
- Baby wipes or other non-flushable items
- Dirt
- Rocks
- Tree branches and debris
- Rodents
How To Fix a Clogged Sewer Line
When you experience sewage coming up through your bathtub, it’s always best to contact a professional. Attempts to fix a clogged sewer line without experience often lead to more plumbing damage. However, you can try a few things that may loosen blockages in smaller connecting pipes.
Don’t Use a Plunger
Plungers only work to loosen obstructions near the head of the drain or toilet. It won’t be able to reach your sewer line or unclog the blockage.
Turn Off the Water
Turning the water off from the main valve will prevent excess water from flowing into already backed-up areas. This will also keep more sewage from coming up through your drains.
Check Your Vent Pipe
When vent pipes become clogged or blocked, it can lead to problems with the sewer line. By pulling any obstructions out of the pipe, your sewer line should be able to properly drain. The vent pipe can be located on your roof, usually directly over your bathroom.
Snake the Shower Drain and Toilet
Using a drain snake can help break up the object causing a blockage. By snaking both the shower drain and the toilet, you may be able to fix the issue. You’ll know you’re successful if the tub drains all sewage and wastewater.
It’s Always Best to Call a Professional, Like Cass Plumbing
If the tactics written above don’t work, you will need to call a professional Tampa plumber, like Cass Plumbing. A professional Tampa plumber will perform a camera sewer line inspection to find the source of the blockage and determine the best way to remove it. A professional will use a drain snake or conduct hydro jetting to unblock the sewer line and get things back in working condition.
If the obstacle blocking your drain line has caused any damage, you may also need your pipes repaired or even replaced.
Warning Signs To Watch
By recognizing warning signs of a blocked sewer line early, you can prevent damage to your pipes and sewage backup. It’s always best to tackle these issues early so the don’t turn into a huge plumbing disaster. Bottom line: get it fixed now! Consider these common warning signs to look out for:
Slow Draining Water
If water drains slower than usual, it can indicate a possible blockage. A clogged sewer line will impact a home’s lowest drains first, so you should try to monitor a shower or floor drain on the first floor.
Gurgling While Draining
Listen for gurgling sounds coming from the shower drain or sink, as this is an early warning sign of a clogged sewer line.
Frequent Clogs
If your toilet or other drains continuously become clogged, you need to call a professional to look at it. While you may be able to get the water or waste to drain again, it may only be a temporary fix.
Migrating Wastewater
If you notice wastewater coming up other drains while doing your laundry or after you flushed the toilet, consider this an early warning sign that your sewer line is backed up.
Benefits of Hiring a Tampa Plumbing Professional
Often, Tampa homeowners will try to fix plumbing issues on their own, thinking it saves them money. However, what they likely fix isn’t the root cause of the plumbing problem. It may temporarily stop sewage from coming up through the bathtub, but this DIY work may lead to more costly plumbing problems down the road.
When dealing with a clogged sewer line, it’s best to leave the work to a Tampa plumbing professional. Hiring a plumber will:
- Prevent permanent or costly damage
- Provide access to the best tools for the job
- Thoroughly remove all blockages or clogs
- Ensure sewage will stop coming up through your drains
Get a Plumbing Quote Today – Call Cass!
If you experience sewage coming up through your bathtub, Cass Plumbing can assess and fix your plumbing problem in no time. As trusted Tampa drain cleaners, we offer fast and reliable services to all our local customers.
Our team of trained experts will unclog your sewage line and leave your tub or shower spotless, so you don’t have to worry about dealing with the mess. We also provide upfront proposals that will give you a detailed description of how we plan to fix the issue and what it will cost.
Our emergency plumbing service is available 24/7, with a professional on-call all day and night. When you choose Cass Plumbing, your satisfaction is guaranteed!
Call our friendly staff at Cass Plumbing in Tampa, Florida to get answers to any of your questions, get a quote, or schedule a service appointment. You can reach us at any time at (813) 265-9200 or schedule an appointment right on our website and stop the sewage coming up through the bathtub now.
