Sewer Repair - The First Sign of Trouble

Your toilet will often present the first indicator of trouble by flushing slowly or not all. If you have eliminated a clogged toilet and all of the other drains are also slow, your next step is to have a plumber diagnose your sewage system for a possible blockage or break that may require you to do a sewer repair job.

Your plumber may be able to do a visual inspection of your pipes in the home as well as use a fiber optic camera to inspect the underground sewage lines for clogs or breakage. Older sewage lines are made out of clay which is prone to breakage from age and decomposition. Clay pipes also turned out to have a short lifetime of fifty to sixty years as opposed to the newer PVC piping which has a lifetime of one hundred years. This means if your home was built before the 1980’s you likely have clay pipes and will be dealing with a pipe repair or replacement at some time in your homeownership lifetime.

Common problems that can lead to sewer repairs, especially on the clay pipes, include tree roots growing into and clogging the sewage line or grease being poured down the kitchen sink and accumulating in the lines with other gunk. It can also be your clay sewage pipe reaching its lifespan capability and simply breaking down.

If your sewage line is broken it will likely be obvious. You will probably smell sewage and your yard will develop wet areas or sink holes. This usually indicates a sewage line break that needs to be replaced. Even if you can do a patch job on the broken pipe you are likely looking at future breaks and ultimately a replacement of the sewage system if the break is age related and not due to other causes such as grease accumulation or tree roots.

If your plumber recommends a sewer repair job, your final cost will depend on a variety of factors. For example if trees have to be cut down and removed to access the sewage line, your cost will be higher. If your gas line was placed above your sewage line instead of next to it, your cost will go up a lot. If the city sewage hook up doesn’t go right up to your property line you may be forced to tear up the city street to access your line. This can drive the cost up as much as $5,000.

Your plumber should be able to give you an estimate after they have had a chance to inspect your lines and asses the damages to repair your sewer line and get your home operational again.