Before wastewater finds your sewer line, it has to go down a drain. The drains that empty into your sewer line are called branches, and all of them have bends called traps. In newer homes, these are usually P-traps. P-traps let the wastewater flow into the sewer line but always keep an amount of water within them. This prevents sewer gas from coming back up into the house. Modern toilets have traps built into their bases.

The drain branches of your plumbing system then empty into the soil stack. This is a large vertical pipe that’s at least 3 inches in diameter and that empites into the main drain. If your house is very large, you may have more than one soil stack. You’ll find this large drain in your basement or crawl space, and it needs to be installed at an angle to make sure the wastewater flows at the proper rate. It also has cleanout plugs so your plumber can remove invasive tree roots and other kinds of serious clogs. It’s the part of the main drain that’s outside your house and usually underground that’s properly called the sewer line.

How It Works If You Have a Septic Tank

If you have a private septic system, the sewer line sends raw waste into the septic tank. Light waste floats to the top of the tank as scum. Heavier waste settles to the bottom, where much of it is broken down by bacteria. The waste that’s not broken down is called sludge. Liquid called effluent sits between the scum and the sludge. The effluent then flows into a chamber with the overflow entering a distribution box that sends it to a gravelly leach field. There, some effluent percolates down through the gravel to join the ground water, and some evaporates up through the grass into the air.

How It Works If You’re Attached to a Municipal Sewer

If your wastewater is handled by a municipal sewage treatment facility, your sewer line runs down to a trunk sewer line. This line probably serves other buildings in your neighborhood. The size and slope of these trunk lines are controlled by local codes that make sure that the sewage flows at the right rate. If it’s too slow, it can cause clogs, and if it’s too fast, it can damage the pipes. Manholes allow workers to enter the sewer system for repairs, and sometimes there are also vents to make sure that sewer gas doesn’t build up. Once at the treatment plant, the water is cleaned up enough for it to be safely returned to the environment.

Call Us to Learn More About Your Sewer Line

Your plumbing system, which includes your sewer line, ensures that you can live safely and comfortably in your home. If you need sewer service, don’t hesitate to call our professionals at Almighty Plumbing of Antioch, CA.