Andy’s Pipe Dream Your Local Main Line Plumbing Experts

Are all your home’s drains failing to effectively eliminate your outgoing water or waste? Is water backing up from your pipes, causing your home to flood? Then you might have a clog or other problem with your home’s main line, which is a significant indicator of a potential plumbing emergency. If this describes your situation, allow the plumbing experts at Andy’s Pipe Dream the opportunity to help you. You can call to schedule an appointment with us, or in the event of a plumbing crisis, we are available 24/7 for emergency calls.

What is a Sewer Main Line?

All plumbing in the home from sinks, bathtubs, toilets, and appliances drain their outgoing water and waste into the main line. The main line, also known as the sewer line or main sewer line, is a large drainage pipe connecting a home or business to the community’s sewer system or a separate septic tank. The main line keeps a home sanitary and allows its plumbing to function correctly without threatening the health of the occupants or causing devastating water damage to a building’s structural integrity.

What are the Signs that My Main Line is Clogged?

Getting a clogged drain in a home is a common occurrence. In most cases, a clog can be fixed with a plunger, or in more persistent cases, by calling one of our expert plumbers to inspect and remove the clog. However, a clogged main drain is something far more significant. When the main drain gets clogged, it affects the plumbing of the entire home, and if not taken care of immediately, can be one of the worst plumbing emergencies a homeowner can experience.

The following are some of the more common signs that your main line is clogged:

More than One or All the Home’s Drains are Clogged
Bubbles Float Up from the Drain
Water Eliminated from One Drain Backs Up into Another. (I.E. From the Sink to the Bathtub)
Flooding

What Can Cause My Main Line to Get Clogged?

The main sewer line is about six inches in diameter. This means it is highly unlikely to get clogged by something as insignificant as a clump of hair. It would take something far more significant to block a home’s main line. It can be obstructed if the occupants flush or drain items unrelated to water, fecal matter, and toilet paper down the drain. Things like large portions of food not pulverized by a quality garbage disposal, feminine hygiene products, paper towels, and other garbage are not designed to be flushed or eliminated in the drain and can get stuck in the pipes. When this happens, these items can build up within the main line, effectively forming a dam in the pipe, causing a significant clog.

Pouring cooking oil and the like down the sink is another major problem. Oil may look like it can drain easily because it starts off as a liquid. However, the oil will eventually settle into greasy semi-solid clumps that can adhere to the walls of the drain, narrowing the passage. In addition, since oil is by its nature non-soluble, or incapable of being dissolved by water, it can clog a drain, especially after multiple occurrences.

One of the most common problems that can cause damage to the main line are tree roots. Over time, trees and other foliage with significant root systems can grow around the main line. If not handled appropriately, the root system can damage or even puncture the mainline and grow within the pipes.

The pipes of the main line can also wear out over time and become brittle. When this happens, the main line’s pipes can rust, break, or collapse. This issue and tree root damage will require immediate help from our expert plumbing team because of significant measures to fix this clog.

How Serious is a Main Line Clog?

When the main line gets clogged, the home’s drains either fail to empty or get backed up. Frequently the overflow of backup water is so significant that it causes flooding in the home. Water damage can be extremely harmful to the home’s structure. This floodwater can also endanger the home’s occupants if it comes in contact with the home’s electrical system. The weight of water is also a substantial risk factor. One inch of water in a ten square feet space weighs over 500 pounds . Adding weight places undue stress on the floor and walls, especially as the floodwater quickly pours out in higher volumes, adding more weight in minutes. Floodwater will then leak into any cracks it encounters in the floors and walls, causing even more structural damage. If this water isn’t effectively eliminated, it can develop into harmful mold. This backup floodwater can be significantly worse if the flooding involves wastewater or sewage. Sewage is extremely difficult to clean effectively and can expose you and your loved ones to toxic bacteria that can harm your wellbeing.

Sewer Main Line Repair and Install Experts

A clogged main line is a plumbing emergency that can not only threaten the integrity of your home’s structure, harm your possessions within but jeopardize the health and wellbeing of you and your loved ones. A clogged main line is a problem that cannot be fixed without immediate professional help from a licensed plumber. Trying to use harsh chemicals like drain cleaners is not only ineffective but extremely dangerous. The intense acids do not have any effect on the cause of the main line’s clog, but they can be washed out in the backflow, and the hazardous acids can damage the contents of your home and endanger the occupants within.

So let the team of expert plumbers at Andy’s Pipe Dream help you in your time of need. We have been serving our Kansas City community since 2003. We have the expertise and experience to handle all plumbing issues, including ones as intense as a main line clog. We want to be there for you in your time of need. Andy’s Pipe Dream is the dependable plumbing service that Kansas City homeowners and businesses can trust. We pride ourselves on delivering excellent customer service (check out our reviews) and are here to help our customers day or night with our 24/7/365 emergency service.