Major Signs Of A Major Sewer Blockage, And What You Can Do About It

Sewer Blockage in Delaware County: Causes, Signs, and What Happens Next

A sewer blockage is not just a clogged drain. When the main lateral — the underground pipe running from your home to the street — is blocked, every drain in the house backs up. Flushing a toilet pushes water up the basement floor drain. Running the washing machine backs up the first-floor bathtub. The system has one exit point, and when that exit is obstructed, sewage has nowhere to go but backward.

In Delaware County, sewer blockages fall into predictable patterns based on the age and material of the pipe. Understanding which type of blockage you are dealing with determines whether the right response is a cable auger, a hydro-jetter, or a camera followed by a structural repair.

What Causes a Blocked Sewer in Delaware County?

Root Intrusion in Clay Tile Laterals

Most Delaware County homes built before 1960 have clay tile sewer laterals. Clay tile was installed in four-foot segments, joined with mortar. Over decades, mortar joints loosen, and tree roots seek moisture and grow into the gaps. Oaks, maples, and sycamores common in established Delco neighborhoods are particularly aggressive. A partial root mass catches tissue, wipes, and grease until the pipe is fully blocked. Cabling clears the immediate clog, but the blockage recurs until the pipe is lined or the root source is addressed.

Scale Buildup in Cast Iron Pipe

Homes built roughly from 1960 through the 1980s typically have cast iron drain lines inside the house and a clay tile or concrete lateral to the street. Cast iron corrodes from the inside out over decades, producing a rough, tuberculated interior surface that catches grease, soap, and hair. Severe tuberculation narrows the interior diameter and progressively slows drainage until the line blocks entirely.

Collapsed or Bellied Pipe

Settlement is common in Delaware County, particularly in areas developed on former farmland after World War II. When soil subsides beneath a pipe, the pipe sags — a belly — and waste accumulates at the low point. A bellied pipe does not clear with augering; the structural defect remains. A camera inspection identifies bellies immediately and distinguishes them from simple obstructions.

Orangeburg Pipe Failure

Some Delaware County properties developed between 1945 and 1960 have Orangeburg pipe laterals — a bituminous fiber material used during the postwar building boom when cast iron was scarce. Orangeburg delaminates, deforms, and collapses over time. A collapsed Orangeburg lateral cannot be cabled open. Replacement is the only durable solution when Orangeburg has failed.

Grease and Non-Flushable Wipes

Grease cools and hardens inside pipes regardless of material age. Cooking grease poured down a drain accumulates on pipe walls, narrows the flow channel, and traps solids. Non-flushable wipes do not break down in the pipe and catch on rough surfaces inside older pipes. These are mechanical blockages, typically cleared with hydro-jetting, which scours the full pipe interior rather than pushing material downstream.

Signs of a Main Sewer Line Blockage

A branch-line clog affects one fixture. A main lateral blockage affects the whole system. Warning signs include:

• Multiple fixtures draining slowly at the same time
• Gurgling sounds from a toilet when a sink drains
• Water backing up in the basement floor drain when another fixture runs
• Sewage smell from floor drains even when no fixture is actively backing up
• Sewage pushing up through the lowest fixture when an upstairs toilet flushes

If more than one drain is affected, the problem is in the main lateral, not a branch line. The correct diagnostic tool is a camera, not a plunger.

Township Responsibility vs. Homeowner Responsibility

In Delaware County, the homeowner owns the lateral from the foundation to the connection point at the public main in the street — including the curb connection. The township or municipal sewer authority owns the main in the street. If the public main is surcharging during heavy rain, it will back up every house on the block simultaneously. That is a municipal problem. If only your property is backing up, the problem is on your lateral. We document the distinction in writing when the cause is ambiguous, so you have something in hand when you call your township.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I know if the blockage is in my pipe or the township main?

If every house on your block backs up simultaneously during heavy rain, the municipal main is likely surcharging. If only your property is affected, the problem is in your lateral. A camera run from your cleanout confirms which side of the connection the blockage is on.

Can I clear a main sewer blockage myself?

A small household auger clears localized branch-line clogs but will not reach or clear a main lateral blockage in most Delaware County homes. Rental augers have limited cable length and cannot cut through established root masses. Improper augering can also push debris past the blockage and lodge it further down. A main-line blockage warrants a professional camera and the right clearing equipment for what the camera finds.

What is the difference between augering and hydro-jetting for a blocked sewer?

An auger cuts through or retrieves a blockage mechanically. Hydro-jetting uses high-pressure water to scour the full pipe interior — roots, grease film, and scale — not just the immediate obstruction. Hydro-jetting is the right follow-up when the camera shows debris coating the pipe walls or when root cutting has left material in the line that augering did not fully clear.

Schedule Sewer Blockage Service in Delaware County

Advanced Drains and Underground Solutions clears sewer blockages and inspects laterals throughout Delaware County, PA. We camera before we cable, so we clear the right problem the first time. Call 1-855-DONT-DIG (1-855-366-8344) to schedule service. We respond seven days a week.