Many homeowners stick to regularly scheduled preventive maintenance with their trusty plumbers to stay ahead of any potential issues before things get to the point of destruction. The hope is to ensure that your sewer lines and pipes stay clear and clog-free. Of course, each system, line, and circumstance has different maintenance requirements, so be sure to ask your plumber for advice during their next visit, as some sewer lines only need to be checked once every couple of years while others require multiple check-ups throughout the year.
Regardless of how long you should wait in between line checks, the fact is that over time, sewers require more frequent fortification maintenance simply because issues with sewer lines will not get better over time – they only ever get worse. So, if you find that your lines are starting to require more frequent service, it’s probably time for a sewer camera inspection, not only to determine the type of issue that keeps recurring but for a replacement estimate and long-term solution options. When things get to this point, homeowners will need to assess the cost of maintenance versus the repair, as your decision may be influenced by such factors as how long you intend to live in the house, whether you should include the risk of damage from line back up if left unrepaired, as well as whether or not the value of your home would drop should it go to market with its current sewer issues.
So, at what point do you need to assess and determine whether or not excavation may be necessary? Well, it depends on many factors. Those include the following:
- If removal of blockage is unsuccessful or unfulfilled – Sometimes, even if preventive measures are taken, blockages may simply be too much for standard equipment or beyond what our instruments can see. Root intrusion, for example, can overgrow in the sewer line and fill it with debris in several places, accumulating to the point where unblocking techniques take far too much time to perform and aren’t cost-effective. There are times when plumbers may work for hours trying to cut through or blast through debris, but the line simply won’t open, perhaps due to several complications occurring all at once. If a pipe has been completely overrun to the point of structural collapse, the best and only option may be to excavate to ensure that no stoppage remains or occurs again, as well as to ensure your hard-earned money stays in your pocket.
- If there are too many obstructions – If an attempted cleaning of a sewer line hits too many obstructions after several tries, then excavation may be the only solution.
- If there’s a break in the line – If cameras or tools used for inspection turn up mud or clay, then that’s a clear indication of a sewer line break. Sometimes, when the ground is over-saturated, the water will seep into the cracks of broken lines pushing clay and other clogging materials in that will completely obstruct the flow. If the lines are cracked, then the only option is excavation and repair.
Unfortunately, not all sewer line clogs are simple, and if you find that you’re in need of multiple visits from your plumber throughout the year, then chances are that you’re looking at a bigger problem that requires excavation. Fortunately, we here at Tritan Plumbing can investigate your sewer line and work with you to find the best long-term solution.
