So, you need to know where your sewer line is located. Maybe you’re ready for new construction work at your home or you need to locate the line for a repair.
While there are various ways to find out where your sewer line is located, some require a little more work and time than others. Regardless of how you find the line, the good news is that once you locate it, you’ll always know where they are.
Make a visit to city hall
Your municipality very likely has maps with all of the sewer lines in the city or county. The best place to start is with your town’s zoning office.
Ask the previous owner and your neighbors
If you have access to the former owner of your home, you may want to reach out and see if they know where the sewer line is located. Additionally, if you’re considering buying a home, ask the seller where the sewer line is located or have the realtor relay the question or help you find out. You could also ask your neighbors. If they know where their sewer lines are, it could give you a good clue about where yours are, too.
Find the Septic Tank
If you have a septic tank, that makes it a little easier because the sewer line that connects in your basement goes straight to the tank. You can use a stake to find the line underground. Typically, the line is buried 12 to 24 inches underground.
Contact a plumber
We recommend contacting a plumber for these next two options to finding your sewer lines. First, is when you’re considering digging. Plumbers can look closely in your crawlspace or basement, locate the drain line, and follow that until it leads to the sewer line. This requires digging around the drain line. Without doing this properly, you could damage your foundation or plumbing, which is why we recommend using a professional plumber.
The second time to contact a plumber is to use small, flushable cameras that will show you the location of the drain line. Some plumbers, including Allied, use underground video snake technology paired with a metal detector to locate the sewer line through the ground.
Every day, homes throughout Greater Cincinnati use natural gas for everything from water heaters to oven ranges to clothes dryers. While natural gas is very clean and usually extremely safe, natural gas leaks can occur, and when they do it can be a very dangerous situation.
Not only can gas leaks lead to explosions, they can also cause you and your family to become ill. Gas poisoning is a potentially serious condition that can cause nausea, weakness, shortness of breath, dizziness and even loss of consciousness.
Don’t let a gas leak put you and your loved ones in danger. Below are our tips for detecting a gas leak and what you can do in the event that you’ve got one inside – or outside – your Cincinnati or Northern Kentucky house.
How to detect a gas leak inside your home:
Follow your nose – Natural gas contains an additive that makes it easy to smell. Usually described as a “rotten egg” or sulphur-like scent, this is often one of the first signs there’s a gas leak someplace in your home. Follow your nose to the leak. Then, when you find it, stay away from the area until you’ve taken steps to fix the leak (we’ll tackle this below).
Follow your ears – Yes, you can actually hear a gas leak. If you smell what seems to be natural gas, and also hear a hissing sound in the same area, that’s usually a good sign you’ve got a gas leak. You can often hear a hissing sound easily around appliances like your oven range or from your gas valves, for example, if there is a leak.
Check malfunctioning appliances – If your gas stove or water heater doesn’t produce a flame when it’s ignited, check for a gas leak. And while these are obvious appliances in your home where leaks can occur, also check others that are powered by natural gas such as your clothes dryer and also around your home’s valves and pipes.
How to detect a gas leak outside your home:
Look for dying plants – If there’s a gas leak near flower, plants and trees, they will look wilted and lifeless. Eventually, they can even die because a gas leak will deprive the plant’s source of oxygen. If you begin to see dry, brown, or otherwise discolored plants there is a good change you have an outside gas leak, especially if you’ve otherwise taken care of your lawn with proper watering and other methods.
Flames – In rare cases, natural gas leaks can cause flames coming from the ground. You’ll want to steer clear of the area if you detect this and call your local fire department immediately.
What to do when you observe a gas leak in your home:
• Open all doors and windows
• Put out all candles or other naked flames
• Do NOT turn on any electrical devices
• Do not turn on or off any light switches. Leave them as is.
• Do not smoke
• Know where your appliance and building gas shut-off valves are located and shut them off
• Get everyone, including pets, out of the house
• Contact 911 and your local energy provider
• Do not re-enter your home until the gas leak is repaired
Allied Reddi-Rooter can help you detect gas leaks and repair natural pipes on your Greater Cincinnati property. Give us a call today if you’re concerned you may have a leak. It’s best o err on the side of caution when it comes your family’s safety.