Sewer Pipe Repair What You Should Know
When older sewer pipelines need repairs, they present some major challenges for their current homeowners -- and sometimes even for the contractors that are called in for the big jobs.
Iron was once the the main choice in plumbing lines, including the lateral line, which is the drain from your home into the city sewer main. When one ruptures, frequently the most prudent solution is to replace the cast iron with new polyethylene pipe that will not face the same risk in the future.
Another contemporary sewer pipeline replacement technique is known as trenchless plumbing. This technique makes it possible to fix the sewer pipeline without tearing up your landscaping. One variety of trenchless sewer pipeline repair is known as the "bursting method": Laborers will pull a new pipe through the existing, cracked pipeline. This further expands the existing pipe to make room for the new one.
A second trenchless sewer pipe repair strategy is the "lining method." Using this method, contracters will place a plastic tube through the existing sewer pipeline and inflate it. This lining will then cover up any leaks in the existing pipe. Better yet, the lining can easily be removed and repaired (or switched out) if necessary.
Even with trenchless sewer pipeline repair, it is possible for nearby roots to repeat their damage. In addition to fixing the desctruction in the pipeline, property owners may consider blocking root growth in the direction of the sewer line for any nearby heavy foliage.
The price of sewer pipeline repair substantially changes depending on the contracter doing the work and how much work there is to do. Some sewer pipelines run under garages, driveways, or landscaping. Especially under such circumstances, trenchless replacement can be a worthwhile option. When choosing a plumber, ask for quotes from 2 or 3 different contracters. Check that all of the quotes include all of the same items. Plumbers often charge very different costs for similar parts. Also be sure you get in writing the expected condition of your property once the work is done. In other words, if a contracter does have to dig a trench in your lawn or necessitate other cleanup work, it should be clear whose responsibility it is -- theirs or yours -- to clean it up.
Whenever you ask for a price quote for a sewer fix, have a sense of whether similar repairs will have to be have to be performed in the foreseeable future. Especially in older houses (or newer houses connecting to an older sewer pipe), it may be worth shelling out for an entire replacement project instead of band-aid-style repairs, so that you won't have to stomach this same crisis six months down the road. A lot of plumbing contracters such as sewer repair services Tacoma WA offer a warranty on sewer pipeline replacement, some of them for as long as you own the home.