One of the most frustrating things that can happen to a homeowner is a damaged sewer line. And if you delay calling a plumber, you may have a bigger problem on your hands, including a health concern. Some of the signs of a clogged sewer line that you need to watch out for include a terrible smell coming from the drain and a gurgling sound from the toilet when you use the sink. Considering that sewer pipes transport toxic materials from your home, if they get damaged, you should call a plumber near you for broken sewer pipe repair.
The average cost to replace a drain pipe varies depending on how big the issue is and the plumber you are working with. Even though it can be in the lows of $225 to highs of $1,160, and when the problem is major, like installing new pipes, the cost could run up to $15,000. If the house main sewer line running under your home gets damaged and goes unchecked for a long time, you may develop a more serious problem like a void forming in the yard. As a result, you will have foundation issues such as cracks that put your home in danger. Therefore, the moment you suspect a broken drain pipe, call someone to fix it to avoid the issue escalating.
You know it is bad when they give a winter storm a name. As Winter Storm Kayla began to form over the Pacific Ocean the last weekend of January 2016, everyone was preparing for its arrival to the plains states of the midwest. Parents were preparing to have their children home from school for at least one day. Grocery stores were preparing for the busiest weekend as shoppers stocked up on the necessities they would need at their home. Homeowners were preparing their snowblowers for the big job of removing up to a foot of snow.
At your house though, the preparations were a little different. As luck would have it the weekend before Winter Storm Kayla made her way across the country, the temperatures were warm and the weather was fantastic. A stroke of luck in a week that was otherwise filled with bad news. After a major water event in your basement, you discovered that you had a major sewer repair job that needed to be completed. The thought of digging up a back yard in the middle of winter though seemed overwhelmingly. Fortunately, the sewer camera inspection indicated that the repair job was a perfect candidate for cured in pipe placement. Four days of temperatures as high as 50 degrees made this the perfect time to install the perfect sewer replacement solution.
Discovered in the 1970s by a London plumbing expert, cured in pipe placement is the best way to repair and replace many sewer line problems. Also known as commercial trenchless pipe repair, cured in pipe placement provides a way to repair sewer lines and other pipes without having to dig up and remove the previous system.
The cured in pipe placement process involves inserting a polyester or fiberglass sleeve into current systems. This technology can be used to repair pipes as small as four inches and as large as 110 inches.
Less Mess, Less Hassle
The major disadvantage to this trenchless approach can be the cost. Because many of the tubes need to be custom created for a specific job, the initial price tag can sometimes seem overwhelming. In fact, some studies show that the cost can in some cases be 50% higher than the cost of traditional sewer repair. The advantages, however, make up for the additional costs in many situations. Saving the money that would otherwise need to be spent on replacing sod, replanting landscaping, repouring concrete, and rebuilding decks and patios begins to make up for the money spent on the trenchless technology.
Money aside, imagine the difference between having to dig up a back yard where children and pets play and being able to make extensive sewer and plumbing repairs the trenchless way. Instead of having weeks, maybe months, where the backyard of your home is virtually unusable, trenchless repair allows the plumbing engineers to access the job site through just two small points, one at the opening and one at the ending.
In spite of its benefits, many residential home owners are not aware of this trenchless process. Although it has been available for residential jobs for the last 10 to 15 years, many home owners simply do not know of its availability. In fact, more than three of every four people who use Angie’s List say they have never heard of this technology. Once they were informed of the process, nearly the same amount of Angie’s List customers say they would use this method. In fact, just fewer than three of every four respondents said they would be willing to pay more for this service if it meant they would not have to pay for later landscaping, patio, deck and other outdoor replacement work.
The cured in pipe placement product is jointless and seamless. As a result, this method is more reliable and in most cases longer lasting than traditional pipe replacement. Experts say this process, and another similar process known as pipe bursting, are equally durable. In many cases, this sewer replacement process comes with a warranty that is as long as 50 years.
Understanding what to do as you prepare for the next storm, whether it be winter weather or a sewer project, is often key to a home owner’s success.
