When several drains in a house slow down at the same time, the problem is usually not in the house at all. It is in the main line between the house and the street. That was the case at this home in the River Oaks area, where a tub and two toilets were all backing up together.
Clearing the main line from the outside cleanout
We ran our cable machine through the exterior cleanout, the white pipe at the base of the brick in the photo, which lets us clear the main sewer line without bringing any equipment through the house. In this part of Houston the usual culprit is tree roots. The mature live oaks that make these streets what they are also send roots straight into older sewer lines looking for water, especially at the pipe joints.
A few passes with the cable and everything was flowing again. When roots are involved we usually recommend a follow-up camera inspection to see how much of the line they have claimed, because cutting roots clears the symptom while the pipe condition decides how soon they come back.
Slow drains all over the house?
That pattern is the classic sign of a main line problem rather than a single clogged fixture. For homes shaded by big established trees, a yearly preventive drain cleaning costs a lot less than a weekend backup. If your drains are slowing down together, call Texas Premier Plumbing at 713-955-1919 before it becomes a mess, or read more about our sewer repair services. Serving River Oaks and all of Houston since 1989, Master Plumber License #16188.