Several Drains Backing Up: Main Sewer Line Clog in La Habra

What you might notice

• More than one fixture is slow or clogged at the same time
• Water comes up in the tub or shower when you flush the toilet
• The lowest drain in the house, often a tub or floor drain, backs up first
• Gurgling in toilets and drains when the washer or dishwasher drains
• Water or sewage around the outdoor cleanout cap

Likely causes

• Tree roots growing into the line through joints or cracks
• Wipes, paper towels and grease that collect in the main line
• A sagging section of pipe (a "belly") where waste settles
• A cracked, offset or collapsed section of older clay or cast iron pipe

Safe things to try first

1. Stop using water: no laundry, dishwasher, showers or flushing until the line is cleared.
2. Tell everyone in the house so nobody runs water by accident.
3. If you know where your outdoor cleanout is, look at it but do not open the cap yourself. It can be under pressure from backed-up sewage.
4. If sewage is already coming up inside, see our sewage backup guide and call right away.

If water starts rising or you see sewage, stop and call. Don’t take apart anything you’re not comfortable putting back together.

When to call a pro

• Right away. A main line clog will not clear itself, and the next load of laundry or shower can push sewage up into the house.
• Especially if water is rising in a tub, shower or floor drain

What Rooter Champion does

Most common problems we find in La Habra, Fullerton, La Mirada and Whittier: tree roots in the sewer line, old or failing cast iron pipe, and broken sewer pipes. Many homes here still have their original lines, so a camera inspection is the quickest way to know which one you have.

We clear the main line from the cleanout with a machine and cutting head sized for sewer pipe, then run a camera through the line so you can see the roots, debris or damage that caused it. The footage tells us whether a cleaning will hold or whether something like hydro jetting, root cutting or a pipe repair should be on your radar. You see the video and we explain your options before anything beyond the cleaning.

Clogs that come back every year are usually tree roots or a broken or old cast iron pipe. If sewage is coming up now, read sewage backup. Local to us? See sewer service in La Habra.

Our $55 drain cleaning includes a free camera inspection, so you can see the problem for yourself. Rooter Champion is family-owned, licensed and insured (CA Lic. #1063585).

What customers say

5.0 stars from 52 Google reviews on our La Habra profile.

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