Sewer lines are a part of your home’s plumbing you don’t usually need to think about too much. Hopefully you keep it in mind when determining what can be safely flushed or put down a drain, but aside from that, your sewer line doesn’t require much of your attention—until something goes wrong. If your sewer main line is giving you trouble, you could have significant repairs (or even a total replacement) on your hands. Keep reading to get answers to your most common questions about sewer line repairs.
What Damaged My Sewer Line?
For starters, you might be wondering how your sewer line even got damaged. After all, it’s buried several feet underground and is made of sturdy metal. What could damage it? There are several possibilities:
- Tree roots – Nearby trees can reach the tiny, hair-like ends of their roots into the minuscule cracks in your sewer pipe for water and nutrients. Then, they’ll grow and expand, creating cracks and clogs inside even as they wrap around the exterior of the pipe.
- Corrosion – While sewer lines are made to last for decades, they can eventually corrode—especially if they’re made of older materials. If corrosion is ignored, the pipe can crack and leak.
- Foreign objects – As mentioned above, you should think about what you put down your drains. Flushing foreign objects or putting grease down your kitchen sink can clog and damage your sewer line.
- Extreme cold – Usually, sewage lines are buried deep enough that freezing temperatures won’t impact them. However, it can happen if the cold is extreme enough. Like any other pipe, the water in your sewer line can freeze, expand, and cause the pipe to burst.
Do I Need Repairs or Replacement?
Whether you need repairs or replacement will depend on the extent of the damage to your line, as well as the pipe’s overall condition. If only a small section of the piping is damaged, and the rest of it remains in good shape, repairing or replacing that single section may be a good option. If, however, you have corrosion throughout the entire line, or the pipe is aged enough that it’s not viable to repair it, you might be better off replacing the enter sewer line.
What Are My Options to Replace It?
If you do need to replace your sewer line, there are a few options available. The first traditional method for sewer line replacement is to dig up the old line and lay new pipes. But this is time-consuming and causes extensive damage to your landscaping. Trenchless sewer line replacement is a more affordable, effective option. Trenchless repair involves inserting a lining into your sewer main, then expanding it to fill and burst the old pipe. The lining hardens and cures, and becomes your new sewer line.
If you need sewer main line repair in Sacramento, CA, look for an expert that can offer you trenchless repairs and replacements.
