3 Sewer Services Every Homeowner Should Know About

By |Published On: June 23rd, 2015|Categories: Residential Plumbing, Sewer Systems|

If you're a homeowner with sewer pipes, you're in the right place. This article talks about three sewer services every homeowner should know about. If sewer pipes are not maintained, cleaned, and repaired, they could break, costing you thousands of dollars in damage.

Sewer Services Every Homeowner Should Know About

When Do You Need Sewer Services?

Below are the most common signs you might need sewer services.

  1. You have constant backups - If you notice all of your sinks, showers, and tubs are backing up, something is wrong with your sewer pipes.
  2. You can smell sewage - If you can smell sewage in your home or around your property, you might have a broken sewer pipe. Breathing in sewer odors is hazardous for your health.
  3. Your drains are all slow - If all of your fixtures are draining slower than usual, your sewer pipes could be clogged or broken.
  4. You have wall damage - If a sewer line is broken inside your home, it can start to affect drywall, wood, and paint. Leaking sewage will increase the humidity inside your walls or floors, creating the perfect environment for mold growth and mildew.
  5. You have foundation issues - When sewage leaks from a pipe, it absorbs into the surrounding soil. If the soil expands and shifts, it can cause your foundation to shift as well.
  6. You have unwanted pests - Did you know that mice can fit through holes the diameter of two pencils? Or that rats can squeeze through openings the size of a quarter? If you have cracks in your sewer pipes, you might notice an increase in unwanted pests. Don't forget that flies and cockroaches love sewage.
  7. You have issues in your yard - If you notice sewage pooling up in your yard, grass growing faster than usual, or potholes and dips forming on your property, you might have a broken sewer line.

Why Do You Need Sewer Services?

Below are the most common reasons your pipes fail, clog, or crack.

  1. You have invasive tree roots - Tree roots love to break into cracked sewer pipes. Once they're inside your line, they drink and grow, clogging your pipes.
  2. Your pipes are too old - If you have older pipes such as cast iron or terracotta, they could be reaching the end of their life-use. Cast iron pipes are prone to rust and corrosion, while terracotta (clay) pipes are prone to cracks and tree roots.
  3. Your soil is crushing your pipes - If your property suffers from extensive rain, extreme droughts, or freezing temperatures, your soil can shift. Once your soil shifts, it can induce pressure on your pipes and crush them.
  4. You're flushing things you shouldn't - Do not flush grease, fats, oils, "flushable" wipes, or anything that isn't human waste and toilet paper.
Sewer Services Every Homeowner Should Know About

Cleaning A Sewer Line

How do you clean a clogged sewer line? You could get out your plunger or sewer snake, but those are just small potatoes compared to the latest and greatest pipe cleaning solution, hydro-jetting.

Hydro-jetting - Hydro-jetting is when a self-propelled nozzle travels through your sewer pipes, and shoots up to 4,000 PSI of water. The intense water pressure cleans out tree roots, sludge, and other types of build-up. Because only water is used, the process is non-invasive and environmentally friendly.

Sewer Services Every Homeowner Should Know About

Fixing A Sewer Line

If all or part of your sewer line is broken, cracked, or damaged, it's time to call professionals.

Traditional trenching - If your pipes are extremely damaged beyond repair, professionals will recommend trenching and replacing the pipes manually. The process is very invasive, and you will have to repair your damaged yard, floors, or walls. Unfortunately, it's the only solution to pipes that have collapsed, disintegrated, or are back-pitched.*

*Sewer lines should be sloped away from your home, down towards the city connection. A back-pitched pipe is a sewer line sloped toward your home in the wrong direction.

Sewer Services Every Homeowner Should Know About

Trenchless sewer repair - As the name suggests, trenchless sewer repair involves zero trenches. Your pipes can be repaired without digging up your yard or tearing up any flooring. There are two types of trenchless repair methods: pipe bursting and pipe lining.

  1. Pipe bursting - Pipe bursting is when a new HDPE (high-density polyethylene) pipe is attached to a winch with a cone-shaped bursting head and pulled through the damaged line. The damaged pipe breaks apart as the new one takes its place, giving you a durable brand-new sewer line.
  2. Pipe lining - Pipe lining begins when an epoxy-impregnated liner is inserted into the old pipe and inflated, creating a new pipe inside the old one. Pipe lining can be considered as repair or replacement. If only a section of pipe is damaged, it's considered a "spot repair." If the entire pipe needs repair, it's considered a replacement.

Read more about trenchless sewer repair. 

Sewer Services Every Homeowner Should Know About
Sewer Services Every Homeowner Should Know About

Who Offers These Sewer Services?

If you live in the Greater Los Angeles area, New Flow Plumbing is the company for you! We'll get you started with a CCTV sewer camera inspection to determine where your problems come from. Then, we give you a free repair estimate, followed by available repair options. Call today!

About the Author: New Flow Plumbing Inc.

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