Can a Broken Drain Pipe Underground Become a Problem? YES!
A broken or damaged underground drain pipe may seem like a minor issue but don’t fool yourself. If not taken care of, the damages can domino costing you more and more money. New Flow Plumbing can find the problem, fix it effectively, and get your home plumbing running again.
Before you pick up the phone and call us, here are some signs that indicate that there is a problem with your underground pipes. Noticing these signs will help prevent further unwanted damage.
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Learn more about: Who’s responsible for the main sewer line?
Signs of a damaged pipe
- Sewage backups and blockage.
- Because all of your drains rely on the main sewer line, if each drain in your house is becoming clogged, it’s likely the main. If a single drain is affected, then the blockage is isolated only in that area.
- Odor
- Smelling sewage in your house? There is most likely a crack in the sewer system and it’s leaking into the house causing that foul, gross smell.
- Mold
- If there is a break in your sewer line, mold may begin to grow on your walls. A crack in the pipe will cause the humidity of the home to increase and allow mold to grow
- Slow drains
- A slow drain is a clear sign that something is blocking the line and will lead to sewage back up. One possible solution could be just cleaning the drains, but the damage could be larger and further up the line.
- Backyard signs
- If sewage is leaking into your yard, areas of your grass will seem extra green and growing. Sewage acts as a fertilizer and your grass will become mismatched and uneven.
- You may also notice dips and small valleys due to the soil sinking into the pipe.
- Septic water may leak into your yard making it unbearable to breathe.
- Major home issues
- Believe it or not, your home’s foundation can crack if left untreated. You do not want that! If this becomes the case, immediately call a foundation repair specialist.
- Infestation!
- Because the pipe may be cracked, small creatures can find their way into your home. Rats, mice, cockroaches, palmetto bugs, and sewer flies can invade your personal space. A simple sewer CCTV inspection can find where they are entering from.
Trenchless sewer repair: How does it work?
First off, what is trenchless sewer repair?
Trenchless sewer repair is how we can fix damaged pipes without costing you thousands. The traditional pipe replacement can require tearing and ripping up your house or yard. Walls and floors will have to be replaced using this method, making your life difficult. Trenchless technology only involves digging two 4ft by 4ft pits to gain access to the pipe. Simple as that!
Trenchless sewer repair is cost-effective, time-saving, and lasting solution. 50 – 100 years of efficient results. The life-use expectancy for HDPE (high-density polyethylene) pipes are 100+ years. CIPP (cured-in-place pipe) have a 50-year life-use expectancy.
After we take a CCTV inspection of your pipes, we at New Flow Plumbing can take the best route based on the situation. Below are the ways to get your plumbing back to normal.
- Pipe Lining
Note: The pipe’s diameter does become slightly smaller but it increases your new pipe’s flow capacity.
- Pipe Bursting
Note: If a pipe is too damaged to perform pipe lining, we will use pipe bursting instead.
What pipes can be fixed using trenchless sewer repair?
This method can be used for cracked, corroded, leaky, or misaligned pipes. If they’re under homes, commercial buildings, or landscaping that you do not want to be torn up, trenchless technology can take care of it! We can also fix any vertical stacks in multi-story buildings and lateral lines that connect to a city sewer or septic tank.
Note: Sometimes a sewer pipe is so badly damaged that no trenchless repair method is usable.
When it’s impossible to use a trenchless repair method, we use conventional sewer replacement methods. Nonetheless, contact us and we can find the solution that works for you!
Read also: Why do drain pipes fail?
How much does trenchless sewer repair cost?
FAQs
If only one sink or shower is slow, the clog is isolated to that specific branch pipe. However, if multiple fixtures are backing up simultaneously or if using the sink causes the toilet to bubble, the blockage is in the main sewer line. New Flow Plumbing uses specialized diagnostic tools to verify if the issue is a simple local clog or a main line failure requiring professional repair.
Trenchless sewer repair is specifically designed to protect your property by avoiding the long, deep trenches required by traditional methods. It typically requires only two small 4ft by 4ft access pits, leaving your driveway, mature trees, and expensive landscaping completely intact. New Flow Plumbing utilizes this “no-dig” technology to ensure your yard looks exactly the same after the repair as it did before.
Trenchless repair solutions are engineered for extreme longevity, often outlasting the original pipes they replace. Cured-in-place pipe (CIPP) lining typically has a 50 year lifespan, while high-density polyethylene (HDPE) pipes installed via pipe bursting can last 100 years or more. These materials are highly resistant to the corrosion and root intrusion that cause traditional pipes to fail.
A CCTV camera inspection is essential because it removes all guesswork by providing a real-time view of the pipe’s interior. This allows New Flow Plumbing to identify the exact cause of the problem – whether it is root growth, a total collapse, or a simple misalignment—ensuring you only pay for the specific repair needed rather than unnecessary excavation.
If pests like rats or sewer flies are appearing, they are likely entering through a structural breach or crack in your underground drainage system. You should immediately schedule a sewer camera inspection to locate the entry point. New Flow Plumbing can find these hidden cracks and seal them using trenchless technology, permanently blocking the highway that vermin use to invade your living space.
Yes, a leaking sewer pipe saturates the soil beneath your home, causing it to expand, contract, or wash away entirely. This shifting soil creates voids and uneven pressure that lead to visible cracks in your foundation and walls. At New Flow Plumbing, we often find that repairing a hidden underground leak is the first step in stabilizing a home’s structural integrity.
While the cost per foot for trenchless technology is comparable to traditional digging, property owners typically save 30% to 40% on the total project cost. These savings come from eliminating the need to repave driveways, rebuild porches, or replace mature landscaping which can cost thousands of dollars. New Flow Plumbing provides a cost-effective alternative that bypasses the expensive restoration phase of plumbing work.
Underground pipes fail due to several factors including invasive tree roots seeking moisture, ground shifting, and natural corrosion in older cast iron or clay materials. Over time, these pressures cause joints to misalign or the pipe walls to crack and collapse. New Flow Plumbing identifies these specific failure points to determine if the line can be salvaged with a liner or requires a full burst replacement.
Although pipe lining slightly reduces the internal diameter of the pipe, the smooth epoxy surface significantly increases the flow capacity by reducing friction. The seamless interior also prevents future root snags and debris buildup that typically cause clogs in traditional sectional pipes. This results in a more efficient drainage system despite the marginally smaller diameter.
If a pipe has lost its structural shape or completely collapsed, pipe lining is not possible because the liner requires a host pipe to form against. In these cases, pipe bursting is the solution, as it pulls a brand-new HDPE pipe through the path of the old one, physically displacing the debris. If the damage is too severe even for bursting, New Flow Plumbing can implement conventional repair methods as a last resort.
Arman Grigoryan
Founder & President of New Flow Plumbing
Arman Grigoryan is the founder and president of New Flow Plumbing, proudly serving Los Angeles, Sacramento, and surrounding areas. With extensive experience in plumbing diagnostics, he leads a skilled team specializing in advanced sewer and drain camera inspections to quickly identify problems and deliver lasting solutions. Arman is dedicated to using the latest technology to provide reliable service, honest answers, and dependable results for every customer.
