Your sewer line works quietly behind the scenes—until it doesn’t. When it starts acting up, it can affect everything from your home’s comfort to your family’s health. And in the Dallas–Fort Worth area, where soil shifting and aging pipes are common, sewer issues aren’t rare.
Whether you’ve noticed a strange smell or your drains are suddenly slow, recognizing the early signs of sewer line trouble can save you from an expensive, messy disaster. Here’s what to look out for.
🛑 8 Red Flags Your Sewer Line Might Be in Trouble
1. That Unmistakable Sewage Smell
If your home smells like a sewer—inside or out—it’s not something to ignore. That odor usually means there’s a crack or break in your sewer line, allowing gases to escape. It’s more than just unpleasant—it could be harmful to your health and a sign of a much bigger issue below the surface.
2. Slow Drains in More Than One Place
A single slow drain? Probably just a clog. But if sinks, tubs, and toilets throughout your home are all draining slowly, your main sewer line might be the problem. Don’t wait—this is when you should call in the pros for sewer line leak repair.
3. Sewage Backing Up into Toilets or Tubs
Nothing grabs your attention like sewage coming up where it shouldn’t. Backups happen when waste can’t pass through the sewer line and starts reversing course. This is a serious health hazard and needs immediate attention from a licensed plumber.
4. Weird Spots on Your Lawn
If you notice soggy areas, sunken patches, or grass that’s way greener than the rest of the yard, you might have a leaking sewer line underground. Sewage acts like a fertilizer, and constant moisture can erode soil, leading to dips and indentations.
5. Gurgling Sounds in Pipes
Hearing strange gurgling or bubbling noises from your toilet or drain? That’s air getting trapped in your pipes—often from a blockage or break in the line. It’s your plumbing’s way of asking for help.
6. Mold or Mildew in Odd Places
Mold around your bathroom or kitchen isn’t unusual—but mold on your walls, ceilings, or along baseboards could signal a deeper problem. Sewer leaks often cause moisture build-up behind the scenes, encouraging mold growth that poses a health risk to your family.
7. Puddles or Wet Spots in the Yard (With No Rain)
Notice puddles in your yard but haven’t had any rain? That could be your sewer line leaking underground. Left unchecked, it can damage your landscaping, cause foundation issues, and even attract pests.
8. A Spike in Pest Activity
Seeing more bugs than usual? Rats, cockroaches, sewer flies, and mosquitoes love sewage leaks. If you’re spotting pests indoors or outside near the sewer line route, a broken pipe could be to blame.
🔧 Why Professional Sewer Inspections Matter
If even one of these signs sounds familiar, don’t try to troubleshoot it alone. A licensed plumber can perform a camera inspection to diagnose the issue without tearing up your yard. Learn more about our approach to sewer line leak repair in Dallas–Fort Worth.
At Metroplex Leak Locate, we help homeowners find and fix leaks fast, using non-invasive methods that save you time and money.
Prompt detection helps avoid:
Foundation damage
Expensive repairs
Contamination or health risks
Widespread plumbing failure
✅ Need Help with a Suspected Sewer Line Issue?
If your home is showing any of these red flags, don’t wait for it to get worse. At Metroplex Leak Locate, we provide fast, accurate, and non-invasive leak detection and sewer line repair across the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex.
👉 Get in touch with us today to schedule your inspection.
🔍 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Look for consistent signs like foul smells, slow drains in multiple areas, backups, lawn sinkholes, mold, or sudden pest infestations.
Common culprits include tree root intrusion, ground shifting (especially in DFW clay soil), corroded pipes, and blockages from items that shouldn’t be flushed.
It’s not recommended. Sewer line repairs require professional tools and expertise. DIY can often make things worse (and more expensive to fix).
Schedule routine inspections, avoid flushing non-degradable items, and ensure good drainage around your home.
Stop using any plumbing in your home, avoid contact with the water, and contact us immediately.
It depends on the material—cast iron pipes can last 50–100 years, while PVC lasts around 25–40 years. External factors like soil movement can shorten that lifespan.
That varies. Check your homeowner’s policy to see if sewer damage is included—it’s not always standard.
It’s usually a capped pipe near your home’s foundation, in the yard, or in the basement. This provides direct access for inspection and repair.
