When a Carmel homeowner called Family Home Plumbing with water backing up through both the toilet and outdoor cleanout, we knew something serious was going on. The homeowner suspected original piping between the home and the septic system was the issue — and they were right to call professionals.

Our team started by snaking the main sewer line from the exterior cleanout and immediately pulled back a heavy load of flushable wipes — 24 in total. These items, often marketed as safe for toilets, are a common cause of deep blockages.

After clearing the main line, we used a sewer inspection camera to visually confirm that the pipe was clear all the way to the septic tank. However, the toilet itself was still not draining.

We removed the toilet, snaked the line from that access point, and pulled out more wipes from the toilet drain. Once cleared, we reset the toilet with a fresh wax ring, ran the camera again, and flushed the system to confirm everything was flowing as it should.

This job is a reminder: even small items like wipes can cause major plumbing headaches. If you’re seeing backups or slow drains, let the pros handle it with the right tools — including camera inspections, snaking, and safe resets.