Don't flush toilets or run the washer, dishwasher, or sinks. Adding water to a blocked main line just pushes sewage back up into the lowest drain.
Backups show up at the lowest point, often a downstairs shower or floor drain. If that's where water is rising, the main line is the suspect.
Look for a capped pipe outside near the house or in the yard. If sewage is bubbling there, tell us. It helps us know where the blockage sits.
Move rugs, boxes, and anything on the floor away from the backing-up drain so it doesn't get soaked.
When one sink is slow, that's a local clog. When the toilet, tub, and sink all act up together, the trouble is downstream in the main line that carries everything out to the sewer or septic. Everything upstream backs up into whatever drain sits lowest.
Around Hollister, the common culprits are grease and buildup in older lines and tree roots working into the pipe joints. A lot of homes here sit near mature trees and shrubs, and roots chase the moisture inside sewer lines, especially through our dry stretches. Wipes and so-called flushable products are another big one. A plumber runs a camera to see the blockage, then uses a rooter to cut through roots or clear the clog, so you're not guessing.
This is urgent when sewage is coming up into a tub or shower, when it's spreading across the floor, or when it happens every time you run water. Sewage backup is a health issue, not just a mess. The sooner the line is cleared and inspected, the less cleanup you're dealing with.
Describe what you're seeing to a real Hollister plumber: call (831) 555-0142 or send the form. Free, no obligation.