Sewer Line Repair Tips

As an excavation company with 4 decades of experience, we are “lucky” to have pretty much seen (and fixed) it all when it comes to sewer line issues. Here are some tips to make this inconvenient situation less painful and more manageable.

Here are some simple yet effective pointers to keep in mind:

• Do NOT put anything except bath tissue into your plumbing system, especially in older homes with older utilities.
• Do NOT use caustic drain cleaners for clogged drains. Instead, opt for boiling water or a pipe snake as alternatives. Drain cleaners often exacerbate the problem by pushing the clog deeper into the pipes.

If it’s too late for precautions, and your sewer line is clogged, try to answer the below questions and start a self-diagnosis of your problem – then, it’s time to call the professionals at Nixcavating!

1. Determine if your property is connected to a municipal sewage system or if it has a private septic system. If you have a septic system, it is a separate topic that will be covered in a future discussion.
2. Figure out if the issue originates from within your home or somewhere along the pipeline connecting your house to the city’s water supply. If you don’t have water coming up through the floor drain in the basement, or the bathtub has a slow drain and/or filling up with dirty water, you have good news. The problem is most likely somewhere in your home and could be a simple cause, such as a clogged Pee Trap.
3. If you determine the problem isn’t a clogged Pee Trap, your next step is to find the clean out pipe. The clean out pipe can be found either inside or outside your home. If it’s inside, it’s usually within 5 feet of where the pipe exits your home. If it’s outside, it’s typically close to the foundation. Once you find your clean out access point, you can use a powered pipe snake and try to fix the blockage yourself. The nose friendly option is to hire a professional with a powered pipe snake and sewer camera. For those do-it-yourselfers, keep in mind your home may not even have a clean out.

As you can guess, a sewer camera can be a lifesaver when it comes to identifying and locating blockages in your plumbing system. It eliminates the need for unnecessary digging in your yard. Equipped with a locator, the camera operator can generally identify and pinpoint the exact location of the problem down to the inch, ensuring that the excavator can target the right spot on their first attempt. The cost of having a professional inspect your line with a camera typically falls around $285, which I believe is an excellent investment considering the time and frustration it can save.

Your sewer line can encounter various issues. One common problem is a separated pipe. This occurs when the clay or plastic sewer pipe breaks away from the connecting pieces of your home’s cast iron pipe. Paper products and waste can lodge at the separation, resulting in a slow flow or even a complete blockage. The pipe could also be separating or breaking anywhere along the length of the pipe. This is typically caused by soil movement or the growth of tree or bush roots. Roots can even break small holes through the pipe and continue to grow within it, causing further problems.

Discuss your options with a trusted professional, In many cases, a spot repair on the sewer line may suffice. However, if there are multiple issues or if a camera inspection reveals a more significant breakdown, it is probably best to go ahead and replace the whole line so you don’t have to deal with this ordeal again. Your sewer line should last many, many years, pending you care for it correctly.

The last tip I can share is regarding the price. Keep in mind that these figures are specific to the Front Range area of Colorado. On average, you can anticipate spending around $4000. However, the cost may increase depending on various factors such as the length of the pipe needing replacement, accessibility challenges that may require additional heavy equipment, and the potential need to repair sidewalks or landscaping.

I hope these tips help you feel a little more confident and knowledgeable when dealing with this very common and very inconvenient problem. If you need further assistance with a sewer line repair, contact Nixcavating Inc. today!

*Clean Out Pipe = cap or plug access point to the sewer pipe; see image.