What Causes Sewer Blockages?

If your home’s plumbing has slowed down to a crawl, the issue is probably deeper than a simple drain clog.

Sewer blockages can develop gradually over time, eventually causing wastewater to back up into your sinks, tubs, or basement when there is nowhere else for it to go.

Our Denver drain and sewer service team at Bell Plumbing, Heating, Cooling & Electrical helps Denver and Centennial homeowners locate, fix, and crush these blockages before they turn into a messy catastrophe. Here’s what you should know and how to help prevent these clogs for yourself!

What Are the Everyday Causes of Sewer Clogs?

Most clogs and blockages start out small but will grow steadily until your flow of water is completely restricted and stops. Some of the most common sources include

• Grease and fats: Cooking oils and melted butter may seem harmless when they’re warm and soft, but they solidify and stick inside of pipes and catch passing debris to grow larger. 
• “Flushable” wipes and hygiene products: Despite how they’re marketed, they don’t break down like toilet paper and can get caught on rough or cracked pipe surfaces.
• Food waste and coffee grounds: Even with a garbage disposal, fibrous or dense foods can settle into sewer lines and harden.
• Hair and soap residue: Over time, hair and soap scum buildup from showers and laundry drains combine into sticky clumps that block flow.
• Foreign objects: Toys, paper towels, or dental floss can easily lodge in the bends of your plumbing and create a chain reaction of tough buildup, pushing everything back up into your home.

Once partial blockages form in your plumbing, they can trap even more debris to create a full-scale clog that impacts every drain in the house.

Denver’s Unique Sewer Challenges

Colorado’s weather and local conditions can make blockages even more likely. Denver’s freeze-thaw cycles can shift soil and create small misalignments where debris collects. Older neighborhoods often rely on clay or cast iron lines, which may corrode or crack more easily than modern PVC pipes. Even if you live in a newer Centennial subdivision, your tree roots may seek out moisture and nutrients and push into the joints or sewer line and ultimately block your wastewater flow. 

Signs of a Sewer Blockage

Because mainline clogs affect multiple fixtures, you’ll often notice:

• You may notice gurgling drains or bubbling water in toilets when other fixtures are in use.
• Slow drainage in multiple sinks or tubs at once.
• Sewage odors around floor drains or lower-level bathrooms.
• Backups after heavy rain as excess water overloads the system.

If any of these symptoms appear, stop running your water and call our licensed Denver sewer cleaning experts right away. Continuing to use water can just push the clog further down your pipes and create a larger backup. 

How We Clear Out Sewer Blockages

Our team at Bel uses video camera sewer inspections to locate  your clog, whether it’s grease buildup, roots, or collapsed piping. Once we’ve assessed what’s going on, we may recommend: 

• Hydro jetting: High-pressure water clears grease, sediment, and debris without chemicals.
• Root removal: Specialized cutting heads trim and clear roots that have invaded joints.
• Pipe repair or replacement: For severe blockages caused by cracks or collapse, trenchless options can often fix the line without major digging.

A professional camera inspection takes the guesswork out of your blockages so we can solve the problem, not just treat the symptoms.

Preventing Future Clogs

Simple habits can dramatically lower your risk of another blockage in your plumbing system:

• Dispose of grease in your trash and not in the sink.
• Flush only toilet paper and waste down your toilet and avoid anything else.
• Use simple drain strainers to catch hair and other debris.
• Schedule preventive drain cleaning every year, or more often if you live in an older Denver home.

Small, proactive maintenance steps can save you from costly cleanups and Denver plumbing emergencies later.

Call Bell for Sewer Blockage Help Today!

Are you worried about your plumbing and need sewer blockage service in Denver and the Centennial area? We can help. Our plumbers and techs are always here for drain cleaning, hydro jetting, clog removal, plumbing repair, and more. No matter what’s going on, we’ll help get your system back on track in no time. Schedule your appointment today!