Signs You Need Sewer Repair
In some cases, blockages in your sewer line can be difficult to locate, especially when they’re deep inside the pipes. Plumbing professionals have specialized equipment such as video cameras and high-powered cleaning tools to detect hidden clogs and effectively flush out blocked sewer lines so your plumbing can flow freely again. Some of the most common causes of blocked or damaged sewer lines include ruptured pipes, sagging underground pipes, and solidified cooking grease or liquid soap that hardens and adheres to the pipes. When you schedule professional sewer line repair with a reputable company, you can trust your plumber to take all necessary steps to locate even the most hidden clogs and perform efficient, lasting repairs.
Your sewer system can become damaged from:
As a tree grows, it is drawn to water sources, including the liquid waste in sewer lines. The roots can wrap around and break into the pipes, which can clog, weaken and damage the sewer system.
Though sewer pipes can last a long time, magnesium and calcium buildup from general use can take their toll. Corrosion can cause leaks and cracks in the pipe.
Pipes made with steel, cast iron, PVC or clay, and cement last up to 100 years, and Orangeburg pipes last around 50 years. If your sewer lines have overextended their lifespan, they’ll be more prone to damage.
When ice expands, it can cause frozen pipes to burst. Pipes are also put under stress in excessive heat.
If your sewer lines haven’t been maintained regularly — or were never installed properly in the first place — you don’t know what could be lurking in your system, ready to cause a major problem.
If your sewage lines have anything other than human waste and toilet paper in them, that’s a problem. Other materials, like paper towels, wrappers, cooking oil and grease, cannot disintegrate, so they’ll build up and cause blockages.
If nearby heavy construction projects cause the ground to move, it could upset your sewer pipes.
A sewer system that is incorrectly installed is likely to have leaking joints and cracked pipes.
A problem with the city’s sewer system could cause issues with the sewer lines on your property.
Our sewer professionals are trained and equipped to address the following plumbing problems:
We will find and repair pipes that are cracked, punctured or collapsed by issues such as shifting soil, frozen ground and settling.
Blockages are often caused by grease buildup or foreign objects restricting or prohibiting proper water flow and/or cleaning of the sewage line. We will locate and clear these blockages so the system can work right again.
Corrosion refers to pipes that have deteriorated and/or broken, causing blockages in the line and restricting water flow. We can treat corrosion by repairing the cracks in broken pipes.
A pipe is considered “bellied” when a section of the pipe has sunk due to ground or soil conditions, creating a valley that collects debris and waste. We will lift the bellied area so the waste freely flows through.
Leaking joints occur when the seals between the pipes have decayed or broken, allowing water to escape into the ground surrounding the pipes. Dream Team Home Services will find the leaking joints and repair the seal.
Tree or shrub roots can invade the sewer line, causing clogs and preventing normal line cleaning. Our technicians can clear these clogs away.
If your sewer system has existing pipes that are constructed of substandard or outdated material, they may have deteriorated or corroded. Our team can assess these pipes and make the necessary repairs.
For severely damaged lines, we’ll use the pipe bursting method. We’ll put a cone-shaped bit into the line to destroy the pipe, then we’ll immediately replace it with a new pipe. This technique prevents the need for extensive excavation. There’s no need to dig up your beautiful yard.
Signs You Need Your Sewer Needs Cleaning
You can monitor your bathtubs, toilets, and sinks to identify a sewer line clog. You’ll know you need sewer cleaning if your home has:
There could be a blockage in your sewer line so large that it’s preventing proper flushing.
Drains that are slow to empty may have a clog blocking most of the sewer pipe.
Bubbling water is a sign of abnormal suction from negative air pressure caused by a clog that is preventing proper airflow.
The gurgling sound you may hear near your drains is typically caused by a clog that prevents air from reaching the plumbing vent.
If there is an unpleasant smell in your home, your sewer line may be clogged.
When you contact the sewer main experts at Dream Team Home Services about sewer line cleaning, we’ll assess the situation with a proper sewer camera inspection. What we find in your system during this examination will determine whether your sewer system needs a thorough cleaning or something else, like a line repair or replacement.
Where to Access the Sewer Main Drain
The sewer main drain is where all the household drains meet. From this point, the wastewater is carried to the septic system or municipal sewer. Since the main drain is not visible, clogs in this part of the plumbing are unplugged through the main clean-out fitting. Clean-out access points are pipes 3, 4, or 6 inches in diameter with a threaded plug that can be unscrewed. These pipes are often set on a concrete slab near the foundation walls, or outside of your home, maybe in your driveway or on your front lawn.
Whether you have a clean-out or no access point determines how easy it will be to perform sewer line cleaning yourself. If you don’t have a clean-out or cannot dislodge the clog yourself, you’ll want to call a professional to clear it for you.
Our Fast, Effective Sewer Line Cleaning Methods
Dream Team Home Services has the specialized equipment required to locate and remove the clogs in your sewer lines. Our cleaning methods include electric drain cleaning and hydro-jet cleaning. We’ll try electric drain cleaning first, then turn to hydro-jet cleaning if it’s necessary.
Electric Sewer Cleaning
Our specialized cleaners, called plumber’s snakes, use a powerful electric motor to drive a cable into the pipe. As the cable goes further in, it twists clockwise to clean the entire inside of the pipe. There are different blade attachments for the head to tackle different types of clogs. Our cable lengths range from 100 to 200 feet so we can reach the clog wherever it is. Electric sewer cleaners are the first choice for soft or hard obstructions from the main sewer line to the lateral piping.
The main benefit of our plumber’s snake is its ability to clean a lot of sewer length at a time, clearing away solid clogs. The cable is flexible enough to navigate bends in the pipe without damage. At every turn, the electric cleaner works effectively.
Hydro-Jet Cleaning
Our hydro-jet shoots out high-pressure water to scour and clean the sewer drain. The water jet is powerful enough to clear hardened scale, root intrusion, sludge, debris, and grease buildup. Its strength comes from its 3,000 pound-force per square inch (PSI) rating.
There are many advantages to cleaning your sewer main line with our hydro-jet. It is cost-effective, works well, and is safe for the environment. Since the spray is omnidirectional, every area of the pipe interior will be cleaned, removing scale accumulation that would eventually turn into a new clog.
If you want the “real deal” sewer cleaning, this method solves it all!
How to Prevent Clogs in Your Sewer System
There are some causes of sewer clogs that are not preventable, including collapsed pipes and root intrusion.
However, there are a few things you can do to make sewer cleaning much easier:
- Only flush human waste and toilet paper in the toilet. Paper towels, wrappers, bandages and tissues are not designed to be flushed, so they will not disintegrate. Solid objects can get lodged in the piping and prevent proper flushing.
- Be mindful of what goes down the kitchen sink. Food, cooking oil, coffee grounds and grease can create sewer clogs because they cannot be disposed of through pipes.
- Get sewer cleaning service regularly. You can prevent major problems by having our team clean your pipes regularly before issues arise. We recommend having a sewer cleaning service at least once a year.