Sewage is backing up: what to do before the truck arrives
Raw sewage carries bacteria, so the first job is limiting how far it spreads and how many people touch it.
- ✓Stop all water use.Every flush, shower and washing machine cycle sends more water toward a line that has nowhere to put it.
- ✓Keep people out of the wet zone.Children, pets and anyone with a weak immune system should stay clear, and wet shoes should stay off the carpet.
- ✓Turn off power only if the floor is dry where you stand.If water reaches outlets or a furnace, stay out and tell us when you call.
- ✓Note where it shows first.Sewage at the lowest drain only suggests the main line. Backup in one bathroom only suggests a branch line.
If you smell gas along with the sewage odor, leave the house and call the gas utility or 911 before you call anyone else.
How a failing sewer line gives itself away
Most breaks and blockages warn you for weeks. These are the patterns plumbers read first.
Gurgling after a flush
Air pushed back through a toilet or tub drain means the main line is partly blocked downstream.
Several drains slow at once
One slow sink is usually local. Slow sinks, tubs and a toilet together point at the shared line.
Sewage smell in the yard
A damp, sour patch of lawn along the line can mean a cracked or separated pipe underground.
Greener, faster grass in a strip
Leaking sewer water feeds the turf above it, so a lush stripe between house and street is worth a camera look.
Repeat clogs after every cleaning
If a drain clears and clogs again in a few weeks, roots or a belly in the pipe are more likely than hair or grease.
In Solon, you own the lateral and the city owns the main
Per the City of Solon's own FAQ, the property owner is responsible for the lateral running from the house to the clean out. If sewage is backing up into your basement, the city asks you to call its Service Department. Crews check the city main first, and if it is clear, they recommend a licensed plumber.
That order saves money. A camera run on your lateral wastes a visit if the street main is the problem, and a city crew cannot fix a cracked pipe on your side. We tell you honestly when your symptoms point toward the main instead of your own line.
Backup in progress?
Dispatch answers around the clock. Tell us which drains are affected and whether water is still rising, and we will line up the right crew and equipment.
Spot repair, lining or full replacement: how the options compare
The camera picture decides the method. This table shows what each approach usually fits.
| Method | Usually fits when | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| Cable or jet clearing | Roots or grease with the pipe still sound | Clears the flow but cannot fix a crack |
| Spot repair | One short broken section, pipe otherwise healthy | Needs an access hole at the damage |
| Pipe lining | Long runs with cracks or root entry, no collapse | Pipe must be open enough to line |
| Full replacement | Collapsed, bellied or badly offset pipe | Most digging and the longest job |
| Clean out addition | No access point for future cleaning | Small job that makes later service easier |
Pipe lining and trenchless options depend on what the camera shows, so we do not promise either one before looking. A standalone sewer inspection is also an option if you only want the footage.
What happens once we are on site
- 1
Find the blockage point
We clear enough of the line with hydro jetting or a cable to run a camera, since a camera cannot see through standing sewage.
- 2
Read the pipe
The recording shows cracks, root entry, sags and joints that have pulled apart, and we measure how far from the clean out the damage sits.
- 3
Explain the choices
You see the footage, hear the options in plain words and get a clear price before work starts.
- 4
Repair and test
After the fix we flow water through the line and re-run the camera so you see the repaired section working.
Why roots and old pipe show up in Solon yards
Solon's median home was built in 1981 per an older Census profile, and about 38 percent of homes date to the 1970s and 1980s. Homes of that era often have laterals in clay, cast iron or early plastic. Those older materials develop joint gaps where roots can enter, so a repeat clog is worth a camera look.
Lots here tend to be large, and many have mature trees. Solon's sewer code even notes that heavy cast iron pipe may be required where sewers cross unstable soil or run close to trees. A big oak near your lateral is a fair reason to ask for footage before accepting another cabling.
Before any digging starts
Dial 811 at least two working days before opening ground. Ohio811 notifies utilities and marks their lines for free, and that applies even to hand digging. Digging into a sewer is also permit work in Solon, so ask the Building Department what applies at your address. See also our sewer line cleaning service for lines that only need clearing.
What decides the price of a sewer repair
We give a clear price before work starts, and these are the things that move it.
Homeowners policies usually cover sudden, accidental water damage but not wear, neglect or the failed pipe itself. Check your policy and ask your insurer whether sewer backup coverage was added.
Sewer repair questions from Solon homeowners
Yes. Dispatch is staffed around the clock, including weekends and holidays, and we book same-day visits when we can. Tell the dispatcher whether sewage is still rising so the crew arrives with the right equipment.
Backups in several drains at once, especially the lowest one, can point to the main. A clean camera view of your lateral up to the clean out clears your side. The City of Solon asks you to call its Service Department first for a backup because crews check the main.
Sometimes. If the pipe is cracked but still open, lining can seal it from inside. A collapsed or badly sagging pipe usually needs excavation. The camera footage decides, and we show it to you before you choose.
Often, yes, because every fixture drains to the same pipe. Water leaves from the highest point that is still open to air, so the lowest drain in the house tends to overflow first.
The City of Solon says the owner is responsible for the lateral from the house to the clean out. For anything beyond that point, confirm with the city Service Department before assuming it is your cost.
No. Chemicals will not clear roots or a break, and they leave a hazardous standing mix for whoever works on the pipe next. Stop water use and call us.
Sources and standards behind this page
Local facts and rules on this page come from these public sources. Check the current version before relying on a permit or code detail.