An Overgrown Lawn Could be a Sign of a Sewer Leak

A lush, green lawn is a homeowner’s dream. But believe it or not, a rich, green patch of grass can sometimes be a bad thing. Sewer lines or plumbing leaks can cause wet spots in your yard, providing excess water for your plants and grass to absorb.

There are many other indicators that a plumbing or pipe issue is affecting your yard. Let’s take a look at other signs and how to resolve the issue.

Water Main Leak

Water meters are placed in your front yard to allow the county to access them and show how much water is being used.

A pipe connects the meters to the water main, and typically this main is underneath the street. Then water is provided to homes through a service pipe connected to the mainline.

When a water main leak occurs, the leak’s location determines who is responsible for it. A leak that happens between the meters and your water main is under the county’s responsibility.

There is an exception, though: if you do not maintain the areas in your yard around the meters. These meters are critical for keeping your water supply safe and healthy. It is a homeowner’s responsibility to maintain the area around the meters so they may be accessed by anyone from the county.

Otherwise, a water main leak falls under your responsibility. Homeowners technically own the water service lines that run through their lawns, therefore putting the responsibility on you when there is a leak in your yard.

When you suspect a water main leak, you should contact a professional plumber to help you with the issue. They can even help you with contacting local officials about the problem.

Sewer Line Leak

When your lateral connection (which connects your home’s sewage to the sewer line and then to the municipal sewage) or other sewer pipes break or crack, you may notice some other things alongside a wet yard. You’ll likely notice a foul sewage smell, but it could also smell like mold and mildew.

The bacteria found in sewage makes an untreated sewer leak pretty dangerous.

If it leaks into your drinking water, it can be hazardous to your health. It can also bring mold into your home if a pipe behind the walls breaks. In an extreme situation, sewer problems can cause foundational cracks and sinkholes.

Sprinkler or Other Landscaping Issues

Your sprinkler system can break and crack just like the rest of your plumbing. If you have ever noticed that your lawn has pools of water after using your sprinklers, there may be a leak or crack.

You can repair sprinkler issues yourself, but you should call 811 to ensure that you don’t obstruct any underground utility lines as you dig.

Sometimes compacted or rocky yards will cause poor drainage, which leads to pooling in your yard. You will also notice increased pooling water if your home has a grading issue. Positive grading means that water drains away from the foundation of your home.

A common cause of pipe breaks or cracks is when the roots of trees or bushes grow into them.

Many common types of trees and bushes such as willow, magnolia, birch, holly, ivy, and boxwood can do this. Most of the time, this happens when the plants are thirsty and seeking out moisture.

There are a few ways you can prevent this from happening:

• Determine the location of your sewer lines before landscaping
• Place metal or wood barriers underground next to sewer lines
• Plant trees and shrubs that are less likely to obstruct your pipes
• Regularly inspect your sewer lines

It’s important to know the signs of a root obstruction in your pipes to know what to look out for.

In most cases, frequent and multiple drain clogs could be a sign of a bigger issue, along with gurgling sounds from your toilet.

Increased Water Bill

It makes sense that leaking water will cause a spike in your water bill. Various other things can increase your water bill. The most common cause of high water bills is a leaky toilet and faucet.

If you have assessed your home and water usage for all the possible causes behind a high water bill and can’t find one, you should check your yard for wet spots or lush patches of grass.

Low Water Pressure

Leaks and breaks in pipes will divert the water flow, causing a change in water pressure. Similar to how there are multiple causes of a high water bill, there are also different causes of low water pressure besides leaky pipes.

The buildup of corrosion or calcium is one such cause. Hiring a plumber to look at your water pressure issues will eliminate the guesswork of trying to find the cause yourself.

Once you find a trusted professional that’s right for your needs, you can rely on them to maintain your plumbing and prevent leaks or cracks from happening in the future.

When you call an expert from Bell Brothers for help with your plumbing, they will give you the assistance and information you need during the entire process.