No one wants to hear from a plumber that their sewer lines and pipes need fixing. However, it stands to reason that your pipes will fail at some point during your home ownership journey, so be prepared if and when this situation comes up. Fortunately, you have many options when it comes to sewer repair, and many are designed to save you money and hassle. Check out these tips.
Trenchless Sewer Repair
It figures: you just landscaped your yard and it looks beautiful, but you’ve just discovered your sewer lines are failing and they need to be repaired or replaced. You can’t face ripping up your beautiful lawn, so what do you do? In this case, you can opt to undergo trenchless sewer repair, which is a wise decision if your home is more than 40 years old, advises Brandon Kennedy. This technique involves pipe lining, which is a flexible, resin-coated tube that is cured in place, pulled through the damaged pipe, and inflated so it stays put. After a few hours, the pipe hardens and basically makes a whole new pipe. Although the lining essentially makes your pipe just a tad smaller, wastewater is still able to get through the lines and where it needs to go. Pipe bursting is another similar technique that involves putting a new pipe within the pipe that’s already there. When done by a qualified professional, this method provides unmatched durability that can last half a century. Trenchless sewer repair can save you time, money, and the stress of having to rip up your lawn, making this an attractive option for many homeowners.
Basic Drain Cleaning
Of course, the above option is a last resort in case all else fails. There are a few troubleshooting tips you can employ to see if the problem will clear on its own without invasive action. One of the simplest methods is to perform basic drain cleaning. You may think an auger is the way to go, but actually, hydro-jetting is much more effective when looking to blow out clogs that can back up your pipes. It can also fully clean them out, too. If the professional performing your hydro-jetting finds there is still an obstruction, he will utilize a sewer inspection camera to find out what could be blocking the lines, such as tree roots.
Pipe Replacement
When you have an old sewer system, you know that at some point those pipes will need to be replaced simply due to old age. Old House Web says that sewer pipes, particularly cast iron ones, can succumb to corrosion which is due to the oxidization of sulfuric acid in waste lines. Depending on the extent of damage and the age of the pipes, your plumber will be able to suggest the best solution to your problem. This could involve digging up the entire system and replacing all the pipes, but this is a time-consuming, not to mention expensive, option that would be a last resort. If you do go this route, you will at least have peace of mind that your piping system is up to code and won’t feature low spots where sewage can collect and clog in the future.
