Sewer system backups duncan plumbing nav

Sewer Systems Backups Service
in Santa Cruz County

Local and Licensed Plumbing Company
Qualified and Professional Plumbing Team
Optimum Attention To Detail
Your Satisfaction Is Our Top Priority

License #784642

Signs That Your Sewer System Is Backed Up

There are many things that can back up your plumbing pipes, from tree roots to trash and debris. At Duncan Plumbing, we help property owners clear out sewer system blockages and deal with common pipe threats

When a septic tank or sewage pipe gets backed up, it can lead to extensive problems. We always recommend tackling the blockage as soon as possible – preferably with the help of an experienced plumbing technician.

Emergency sewer system backups service

You may be dealing with a sewer backup if you notice…

  • Odors Coming From the Drain

    Your sewer system should be transporting wastewater away from the property. If you notice foul, sewage-like smells emanating from drains, you’re probably dealing with a serious mainline sewage clog or broken pipe..

  • Sewage Coming Out of a Cleanout Pipe

    A cleanout pipe, or a “capped” pipe, provides direct access to your sewer line. If you notice wastewater escaping through this pipe, there may be a sewer blockage, likely in your crawlspace or outside.

  • Bubbling Drains or Toilets

    Air bubbles may appear when wastewater is unable to flow through your plumbing system properly. Pay attention – even small bubbles in your drains or toilets can be indicative of a significant sewer problem.

  • Slow Draining in Fixtures

    Drains tend to run slowly when wastewater is unable to flow through your pipes and/or sewer line. If you are dealing with a blockage, you might notice drainage problems on your first floor or basement.

  • Clogs in Multiple Drains

    The occasional clogged sink isn’t usually indicative of a sewer-related issue. However, if you notice that more than one of the drains in your home is clogged at once, you may be facing a sewage clog.

Have you noticed any of the above warning signs? If so, contact Duncan Plumbing, and we’ll determine if a sewer backup is to blame.

Common Causes of Sewer System Backups

  • Roots icon

    Tree Roots

    Roots from nearby trees can sometimes grow and seek moisture located near and within your sewage pipes. When these roots create holes, grow around the pipe, or infiltrate the system, they can cause intense sewer backups. 

  • Blocked drain icon

    Blockages

    We often see sewer backups caused by blockages in drain pipes or main sewer lines underground. These clogs can be caused by a variety of materials, from cooking grease to knots of old hair. 

  • Rain water icon

    Rainwater

    Although Santa Cruz isn’t an especially wet location, the occasional rainstorm could result in a sewer backup. Large amounts of rain can cause municipal sewer systems to reach maximum capacity, forcing excess water to travel back into your property’s sewer pipes.

  • Rain water icon

    Cracked Sewer Pipes

    Sewer backups are especially prevalent in old pipes, which are susceptible to cracking and leaking. If your home relies on cast iron or clay pipes, your risk of a sewer backup may be higher than that of other, more modern properties.

Confirming the sewer pipe problem

Emergency Santa Cruz Sewer Backup Services

We understand that disasters can happen quickly, such as serious sewer backups. That’s why we offer 24/7 emergency plumbing services to the residents of Santa Cruz. 

If wastewater is flooding into your home or your toilet seems severely clogged, don’t hesitate to contact us. We’ll act quickly to minimize the risk to your building, property, and loved ones. 

What to Do If Your Sewer Line Is Overflowing

After calling in professionals for help, you can stall the progression of a sewer backup or flood by: 

  1. Shutting off your main water system.
  2. Turning off the electricity (if the water is near electrical outlets).
  3. Avoiding the contaminated space. 
  4. Wearing a face covering, gloves, and boots if you must enter the space.
  5. Properly and carefully discard contaminated materials. 

These steps can help you minimize the damage until your emergency plumber arrives. For more guidance, feel free to call our experts at 831-476-1712.

When Should You Call Duncan Plumbing?

We understand that your initial move might not be to call a plumber immediately. After all, DIYing some plumbing problems is fine. 

However, keep in mind that raw sewage backups can require extensive, complicated solutions. Our team typically uses special tools (such as drain augers or cable devices) to tackle the problem, as well as years of hard-earned knowledge and experience. 

If you suspect that your sewer blockage has been building for some time or that it involves a serious issue like tree root invasion, contact us. We’ll tackle the sewer blockage correctly and minimize the disruption – and risk – to your household.

Plumbing santa cruz

Schedule Sewer Backup Help Today

Call 831-476-1712 or request a callback online. We’re standing by to provide quick, efficient plumbing services.

Great Reasons to Hire Duncan Plumbing

Live Answer 24/7

As local & licensed Santa Cruz, CA plumbers you can count on the experience & professionalism that Duncan Plumbing has built our name around. We feature highly-skilled and respectful plumbers who pride themselves on delivering tremendous customer satisfaction and optimum attention to detail.

Problem Solved in One Trip

We pride ourselves on providing our neighbors with the supreme level of residential and commercial plumbing products. Our community involvement and pride in our county make us a top-rated choice for all of your plumbing needs! Are you looking to re-pipe with copper or PEX? Do you have to have pipes located or video inspected? Or, maybe you just have a blocked drain? Our primary goal at Duncan Plumbing is to supply resolution to the irritations you have, however big or small.

Clean Home

The local residents and business owners have depended on us to manage all of their plumbing and drain needs. From very easy fixes to total re-piping, we have the expertise and skillful team members to service, repair & install any system.

Same-Day or Next-Day Service

Plumbing is one of those things that should only be carried out by a widely experienced professional, errors are not only incredibly expensive to correct but can also create harmful health hazards over time. Let the responsible plumbers at Duncan make your hassles a thing of your past.

Duncan Plumbing Has Experienced Plumbers Ready to Serve You in the Following Communities:

Frequently Asked Questions

The key to avoiding sewer system problems is regular maintenance. This includes addressing drainage issues as they appear, monitoring plants' proximity and roots, and scheduling annual plumbing inspections.

 

Preventative maintenance can save property owners thousands of dollars by preventing and quickly identifying any plumbing problems – before they escalate to serious sewer backups.

At Duncan Plumbing, we don’t just provide emergency plumbing services and sewer backup remedies. We’re also here to help with your regular plumbing maintenance to prevent issues from building up.

The main sewer line tends to back up when there are clogs or blockages in the pipes. As a result, the sewage system becomes overloaded, and waste is pushed back through the line and into the home or business. Typically, these overflows occur in basement drains, toilets, or bathtubs/showers.

Most sewer backup appointments take a couple of hours to complete, although more extensive issues may require a full day of service. Ask your plumbing technician for a time estimate based on the location and severity of the backup.

As much as you might wish a sewer backup could resolve itself, it won’t. You’ll need special equipment and training to adequately handle the problem – and we’ll provide just that.

Do you feel like you’ve dealt with more than your fair share of sewer backups? You may be making a few mistakes that clog your pipes.

First, ensure that you’re only flushing toilet paper and human waste down the toilets. Using your toilet as a trashcan and disposing of other materials there can quickly cause extensive plumbing issues. 

Also, remember never to wash grease, fats, or oils down your sink drains. These substances should be placed in a container (like a coffee can or jar) and allowed to harden, then disposed of in the trash – not via the plumbing system.

The cost of removing a sewer system backup varies depending on the cleaning method used, the severity of the issue, and the location of the blockage. Some issues, such as the invasion of tree roots, are more complicated to handle than others, like simple debris clogs. 

Typically, property owners can expect to spend between $250 and $1,300 on sewer backup services. Contact Duncan Plumbing today to obtain a more specific quote for your situation.

Your Satisfaction Is Our Top Priority!

Excellent
Based on 794 reviews
So happy we did this rebuild/upgrade. Our original radiant heat system was 18 years old, not well installed in the first place and showing signs of imminent failure. So we did our due diligence, had three conversations with three companies and Duncan Plumbing was by far the best choice. Duncan Plumbing sent their technician, Jedidiah (Jed), and we got started with the preliminaries. Jed took plenty of time to assess, calculate and determine the best long-term solutions.
Here's what we ended up with:
Plan A - high end proposal
Plab B - medium end proposal
Plan C - lower end option
We chose the high end proposal as it made the most sense given the overall condition of many of the existing components.
Pros and cons:
Pros -
Always on time and in communication
Three proposals on the spot that day
Jed made the proposal and did the job
Stayed exactly on proposed cost
Stayed exactly on schedule (done early)
Perfection in craftsmanship
Pride in job
Clean up everything during/after job
Streamlined/more efficient results
Answered all questions at any time
Expert knowledge (hard to find)
Courteous and professional
Cons -
Really ... none
At the end of the day (or job) could not be happier! Strongly recommend!!
Wish I could share a before picture but don't have. Look at the after picture and judge for yourself.
Honest and quick to come up with plans that addressed our problems quickly and efficiently!
JC with Duncan was great. He communicated consistently, trouble-shot the problem, and offered us different options and pricing to solve the problem. Would definitely recommend and am planning to use again if we have future issues.
Duncan's crews are always professional and conduct excellent work in a timely manner and they are very respectful, even when dealing with our high maintenance dogs.
We have a house with 60+ year old plumbing. Over the 40+ years of our residence in the home, we've contacted Duncan Plumbing whenever there's been an issue, and Duncan has always sent capable crews out quickly to assess and deal with our various clogged drains. They have almost always recommended, at the end of their visits, that we consider a whole-house upgrade of the pipes and drains.

This April, when horrible black guck started bubbling up out of our bathtub drain, Nick, Frank, and Zack from Duncan responded quickly. They immediately and correctly ascertained that a plant root in the front yard was clogging the main sewage drain to the street. They used their camera snake to target and show us photos of the problem, then sent in their rotor machine to break down the root, which fixed the bathtub drain problem. Finally, they again strongly urged us to upgrade water and drain pipes. Duncan sent us an estimate. It was painfully expensive, but we finally agreed to go through with the project. It took about a week and required that the crew traipse through our bedroom to access the under house crawl space, but I can't imagine a more sensitive, considerate, knowledgeable, and professional team than Nick, Frank, and Zack.

When we saw the condition of the old drains and pipes they were removing, we were grateful we were getting new plumbing – apparently just in time!

Duncan Plumbing's office staff was also terrific to work with. We highly recommend Duncan plumbing.
Jed Kraft was professional, friendly and courteous. Effective with his work, humoured my questions and offered several insightful comments on things to watch out for in the future given our extensive home renovations. Highly recommend this plumber!
Regarding our Rinnai tankless water heater: on May 14, 2025, Frank and Matt fixed an error code (#63) and did an annual check-up. We are very satisfied with their work and how they communicated with my wife and me.
Duncan Plumbing office staff responded to my voicemail message quickly to get my failing water heater evaluated by their professional, Romero. Romero provided options for its replacement and was available to do so immediately, but I had questions regarding the best financial option for me, a recent widow. The office staff offered me an opportunity to speak with the owner, Scott Duncan. He educated me on water heaters, provided his professional advice, and backed up his recommendations by honoring a Yellow Page Voucher from 2012, and giving me a Widow Discount! Romero was scheduled to return to do the job at their first available time. Romero came back with Zach to help him with moving hot water tanks, and used his help to move other stuff around. They worked carefully and methodically together being careful not to damage the washer, dryer or freezer in the immediate vicinity. They followed my request and drilled the two new pipe holes that were required where I wanted them in a less visible area. I am very pleased with Romero’s expertise and excellent work in replacing an old water heater with a new one. It required a lot of extra work in installing it so it meets the code requirements!
Thank you Duncan Plumbing!
Cheryl
Sewer system backups 9

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