Choosing between a sewer line repair and a sewer line replacement is a crucial decision that will have impacts in the short term and the long term. The functionality of sewer lines are critical for both home and business locations, so getting it right is important.
This begs the question: Should you repair a sewer line or should you replace it?
The team at Drain Pro Plumbing would like to give you some help in answering that question.
Sewer Lines: Why Would You Need Repair or Replacement?
Sewer lines are generally sturdy utilities.
When built with quality materials and installed by pros with sewer line knowledge and experience, sewer lines (connected to drains and pipes from your home or business) can function well for years or decades, carrying wastewater from your pipes & plumbing system to keep your appliances & fixtures running properly.
Still, sewer line problems can and do occur. Failure or damage in sewer lines is usually due to one of four factors:
- Aging sewer line materials degrading, e.g cast iron pipes rusting out, leaking or bursting
- Sewer line pipe connections that become cracked or misaligned
- Impaction to sewer lines from tree roots, construction, etc.
- Solid waste disposal clogging sewer lines to point of bursting or breaking
- Extreme temperatures, particularly extreme cold, lead to burst pipes
What are some warning signs that your sewer line is failing or has broken?
- Wastewater backups or sanitary sewers backed up
- Bad odour, e.g. sewer gas etc.
- Flooding around the foundation or basement; or standing water on the property (does it smell?!)
Leaking pipes in your home or commercial facility- Water draining slowly from toilets, tubs & sinks
- Mould in walls and/or ceilings
- Drop in water pressure (check toilet bowl levels)
- Water bill is much higher than normal
- Indentation or dip on lawn or driveway (above main sewer line)
Leaking pipes in your home or commercial facilityIf you are noticing some of these signs, you may have a broken or failing sewer line.
When Can We Repair Sewer Lines? When Is Sewer Line Replacement Necessary?
The best-case scenario is that you have one of the above signs but it turns out to be something else. If that’s the case, we’ll get right to work and have that properly remedied for you in no time.
The next-best-case scenario is that you have a sewer line issue – but it can be repaired.
Our process, when we come to your home or business property, is to assess the situation, look at the signs, and inspect for damage.
Should we find damage or failure along the sewer line, repair is our first goal. This will save you a lot of time, headaches and financial hits.
In many cases, fixing what’s wrong is possible. Repairing sewer lines is a more likely option the sooner we can catch the problems. We will assess the sewer line condition and give you an estimate for Victoria or nearby communities.
In some cases, however, the sewer line has failed or been damaged beyond repair, and sewer line replacement is the only viable option. It’s the last resort but at times a necessary one.
How Can You Protect Your Sewer Lines?
Some damage to your sewer line is inevitable, the natural progression of time cannot be stopped. However, there are a few measures that you can take that will increase the longevity of your pipes and reduce the need for repairs or replacements.
- Regular Inspections Hiring a professional to conduct assessments of your sewage system periodically will allow you to verify the condition of your pipes. This will help detect any developing issues and give you the ability to preempt their impact with preventative measures.
- Tree Removal You can protect your pipes from invading tree roots by removing the tree from the area. Removing the invading root alone might seem like a more economical solution but the likelihood another root grows in its place is extremely high.
- Proper Use of Sewage System
When using your sewage system, ensure that only the recommended substances are being disposed of through the pipes. Other materials can cause blockages in the pipes or cause internal damage as they travel through the pipes.
Drain Pro Plumbing – Victoria’s Leading Experts In Plumbing
Knowing when to repair or replace the pipes in your sewage system can make a huge difference for homes and businesses. Their unique utility is crucial in all spaces and any damage to sewer pipes is an immediate priority. Choosing the right option will save a lot of time and effort and prevent any massive inconveniences from occurring.
Please contact us for any plumbing services in Victoria and the surrounding areas. Drain Pro has been executing sewer line repair and replacement projects for four decades. Our professional sewer line and plumbing crews perform superior work in sewer line repair and sewer line replacement, as well as sewer line cleaning, septic tank repair & service and much more. Choose us for quick, effective and affordable service.