As a homeowner, you may not notice your property's sewer system until a huge problem occurs because most of these pipes are located underneath the ground.
However, you can't use any of the plumbing fixtures inside a home until the sewer lines problems are solved. There are several signs that a home's sewer lines are beginning to fail, including:
- Cracks in a home's foundation from freezing water
- Sinkholes caused by water leaking from the sewer lines
- Standing water that may have a foul odor
- Areas of a lawn that have lush green grass
- A gassy sewer odor inside or outside of a home
- When a home's plumbing drain slowly
- Mold growth on the interior or exterior of a home
- Frequent toilet overflows and drain backups
Understanding these signs of sewer problems can also help you decide if you should make an offer on a home that you are inspecting. Sewer repairs are often costly, and it is a good idea to avoid buying a home that has sewer line problems unless you can get a huge reduction in the asking price.
If you suspect that your current home has sewer line damage, then contact a licensed plumber like Advance Plumbing & Heating in Connecticut who offers camera inspections. With an expert sewer camera inspection, it is possible to see where the sewer line is damaged in order to pinpoint the location for a repair.
Without the proper sewer camera, plumbers have to dig long trenches on a property in order to see where a sewer line is damaged. This process destroyed a property's beautiful landscaping along with taking several days to perform.
A Sewer Camera Inspection Can Pinpoint the Sewer Line Damage Quickly
Today, we can drop a camera into a drain or other small pipe holes to insert a camera for an inspection. While the camera is moving inside the sewer pipe, the plumbing team will watch the results on a television screen to see where there are clogs or cracks.
With this method, a plumbing company does not need to dig a long trench to remove the clogs, and it is also possible to make repairs to the damaged pipes quickly. Instead of needing to leave your home for a week while plumbers complete a major repair, plumbers can fix the damage in one or two days.
Trenchless Sewer Repair Can Be Less Expensive
Trenchless sewer repair can be more efficient and may provide the same results for a homeowner or potential home buyer. Depending on the situation, trenchless sewer repair may be an option. There are 2 forms of trenchless sewer repair. Pipe bursting involves opening up 2 ends and pulling a pipe through the old pipe.
Another option may be using materials that harden as they insert flexible pipe into the old sewer lines rather than removing the damaged materials. With trenchless rehabilitation, the cured-in-place pipes are inverted or pulled into the old damaged sewer lines.
These flexible liners will dry and harden within a few days with applications of ambient curable resins, ultraviolet light or heat. Not only is this variety of sewer repair faster, but also can cost less.