Plumbing · Right now

Sewer smell or backup? Here’s what to do.

Sewage inside the house is the one plumbing problem that is also a health problem. Stop using water, keep away from it, and call.

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Right now

Stop using water. During a backup, stop using water: don't flush toilets or run sinks, showers, the washer, or the dishwasher, since the water has nowhere to go but back into the house. Source
Don’t touch it. Avoid contact with the sewage; it may contain harmful pathogens. Source
Tyler: call the city first. In Tyler, call the Water Service Center at (903) 531-1285 (option 2 or 3) during business hours, or (903) 597-6541 after hours, so a city crew can check the city-owned pipe first. Source
Longview: the city answers day and night. In Longview, the Wastewater Collection Division answers sewer emergencies 24 hours a day at 903-236-3030. Source
On septic. On a septic system, contact your local health department or a septic service provider. Source
A smell, but no backup. For a sewer smell with no backup, make sure floor drain traps are filled with water; a dried-out trap is a very common cause. Source

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Often urgent.

Call nowSewage backing up inside the house, or sewage surfacing in the yard, which extension experts call an imminent health threat to fix immediately.

TodayPersistent sewer odor indoors after refilling traps, gurgling drains, or several slow drains.

Can waitHave a septic system inspected at least every three years and pumped typically every three to five years.

Before you call

Safety first

If sewage is involved, wear rubber boots, rubber gloves, and goggles while cleaning up. Source
After cleanup, disinfect exposed items with 90 percent water and 10 percent household bleach, and keep the area out of use until completely dry for at least 24 hours. Source
Never mix bleach with ammonia or any other cleaner. Source
Septic-system gases that get indoors (hydrogen sulfide, methane) can be irritating, toxic, and explosive. Source

What to tell the plumber

City sewer or septic (conventional or aerobic).
Which fixtures back up or smell, and whether the lowest drain in the house overflows first.
Whether the city crew already checked the city side (Tyler offers this before you hire a plumber).
Where the sewer cleanout is, and whether backups follow heavy rain.

What it costs

Your plumber quotes before starting; we don’t publish plumbers’ prices. City fees we can source: Longview OSSF (septic) permit, single family dwelling: $210; Longview: TV (camera) inspection of sewer main, no plumbing permit required: $80; Longview: installation of a clean out box over an existing clean out: $492.

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