Tag Archives: sewer line maintenance

The Benefits of Professional Sewer Line Maintenance

The Benefits of Professional Sewer Line Maintenance

Maintaining the sewer lines of a home or business is an important part of keeping it functioning properly. The sewer line is responsible for carrying away the waste water and other substances from the property. Without regular maintenance, the sewer pipe can become clogged with tree roots and lead to other costly problems. Regular maintenance can help prevent these problems and keep the pipes running smoothly.

Benefits of Maintaining your Sewer Line

Regular maintenance of the sewer line has many benefits. Sewer line maintenance can help prevent clogs and backups, which can lead to costly repairs. Maintaining your home sewer line can also help extend the life of the line, as it can identify any potential problems before they become major issues. This can save homeowners and businesses money in the long run.

Prolonging the Lifespan of Your Sewer System

Regular maintenance of your sewer line can significantly extend its lifespan. Over time, debris, tree roots, and other materials can accumulate and cause blockages within the pipes, leading to reduced functionality. By scheduling routine inspections and cleanings, you can identify and address any issues before they worsen, avoiding costly repairs or even complete system failure.

Preventing Costly Repairs

Repairing a damaged or collapsed sewer line can be a major expense. In addition to the actual repair work, you may also encounter additional costs such as landscaping restoration or water damage remediation if a backup occurs. By investing in regular maintenance and promptly addressing any minor issues, you can prevent larger problems down the line and save yourself a significant amount of money.

Minimizing Blockages and Backups

A clogged sewer line can lead to unpleasant and unhygienic backups within your home. These backups can result in foul odors, water damage, and potential health hazards. Regular maintenance, including clearing out debris and removing tree roots, can help minimize the risk of blockages and backups, ensuring that your household plumbing operates smoothly and efficiently.

Preserving a Healthy and Clean Environment

A well maintained sewer line plays a vital role in preserving a healthy and clean environment within your home. Blockages and backups can lead to unsanitary conditions, attracting pests and promoting the growth of bacteria and mold. By taking proactive measures to maintain your sewer line, you can create a safe and hygienic living space for you and your family.

Sewer Line Maintenance Services

Sewer maintenance services can help keep the line clean and clear. These services can include pipe cleaning, line inspection, and pipe relining. Drain cleaning services, such as a professional hydro jetting service can help remove any debris that has built up in the line over time, while line inspection and pipe relining can help identify and repair any potential problems.

Sewer Line Cleaning

Sewer line cleaning is an important part of maintaining a sewer line. This process involves using a variety of tools to remove debris, such as roots, grease, and other materials, from the pipe. Pipe cleaning can help prevent clogs and reduce the risk of sewer backups. It can also help improve the efficiency of the sewer line.

Maintenance can help keep the sewer line running smoothly and prevent costly problems. Regular maintenance can extend the life of the sewer pipe, save money in the long run, and help keep the property safe and clean. You can also avoid having to go through the nightmare that is sewer line repair services. Whether it’s for a home or a business, professional maintenance services can provide many benefits.

5 Ways to Handle a Broken Sewer Line

5 Ways to Handle a Broken Sewer Line

The sewer line that runs beneath the ground in your home is the vital connection between your home’s plumbing system and the city’s main sewer line in the street, says State Property Management LLC. This pipe transports all the wastewater from your home into the municipal wastewater management system.

Sewer pipes are tough enough to withstand pressure and the other forces underground pipes are subject to. They can work for many years without any signs of trouble. But this is not to say that the sewer line or pipe in your home cannot get broken because they can.

Several things can break your home’s sewer line. Five of the most common ones are:

Soil movements

The soil surrounding the underground pipe may shift. This most common form of soil movement is called settling. When the soil around the pipe settles, it creates a dip along the line. Over time, the buildup can occur in this downward slope, leading the pipe to eventually break.

Poor installation

If the pipe is not installed with the proper downward slope, the possibility of clogs and blockages becomes higher. Sewer pipes with an inaccurate downward slope will ultimately break. Substandard piping materials will also lead to the failure of the sewer line.

Damage by tree roots

If there are trees or shrubs in the vicinity of the line, their roots can endanger the sewer pipes. Tree roots may penetrate sewer pipes in a bid to access the nutrient-rich water inside them. If this happens, the pipe will not only break but will be blocked by plant roots.

Aging pipes

Pipes become more predisposed to damage with age. This is the accumulated result of years of wear and tear. Some kinds of pipe materials such as metal pipes are more prone to damage than others. Old sewer lines will leak and clog more often than newer ones.

Abusing the sewer line

Homeowners often assume the sewer line is capable of handling anything they throw at it. As a result, they dump grease, fats, oils, and other materials into the line. Anything other than human waste and toilet paper inside your sewer lines can result in the pipes breaking.

How can you tell if your sewer line is broken and what should you do to solve the problem?

Common signs of a damaged sewer line include:

  • The odor of sewer from the drain or around the yard.
  • Lush green areas in the yard, distinct from other parts of the yard.
  • Puddles of water or soft spots in the yard that are not caused by rain or irrigation.

If you notice these problems in your home, you may suspect a crack in your sewer line. What can you do if the sewer pipe is broken?

sewer line repair chicago

Having Your Sewer Line Repaired by a Professional Plumbing Company is Your Best Bet

How to handle a broken sewer pipe

A broken sewer pipe will not only interfere with your use of the home’s plumbing, but it can also endanger the health of your family. If left unattended, the damage will become more extensive and more costly to repair. Eventually, it can even compromise the city’s sewer lines.

Here are ways to handle a broken sewer line:

Locate the damaged pipe

Pinpointing the location of the damaged pipe makes it easier to assess the damage and determine the best way to solve the problem. If the pipe is in the crawlspace or basement, finding the damaged section is easier. Otherwise, you will need a professional plumber to conduct a video camera inspection of the sewer line.

Evaluate the damage

The camera inspection will tell you the extent of the damage. If you are lucky, and a small section of the sewer line is damaged and the damaged portion is within easy reach. The evaluation will also identify the root cause of the pipe damage and recommend the best way to repair or replace the sewer line.

Repair or replace the sewer line

Depending on the cause of the problem and how far it has gone, you have two courses of action open to you. On one hand, you may only have to repair the damaged section of the pipe. On the other hand, you may need to replace your entire sewer line.

Fix the pipe

To repair the damaged pipe, you have two options. The first method involves excavation: digging a trench in your yard to reach, retrieve, and replace the damaged pipe. This method is invasive, time-consuming, and expensive. You will also have to fix your damaged landscaping afterward.

The second option is a trenchless method that does not involve excavation. Instead of digging up your lawn, the section of the damaged pipe is repaired by relining it. This method is quick and effective. It is the recommended fix for your broken sewer line.

Replace the sewer line

This is the final and costliest option. This solution should only be applied if it is not possible to fix the broken line. Most times you will only need to replace an entire sewer line if the pipes are old and deteriorating or there have been significant shifts in the soil surrounding the pipes.

Sewer Tree Root Removal Tips in Chicago

Sewer Tree Root Removal Tips in Chicago

Tree roots pose one of the greatest threats to your home’s sewer lines. Every time you bury a pipe in your yard, you run the risk of tree roots interfering with it. Underground sewer lines carry nutrient-rich wastewater, and tree roots love nothing more than a nearby source of nutrition.

Tree roots and sewer pipes are a “match made-in-heaven”. However, it can cause you major plumbing problems when the two meet.

Tree roots spread out in search of available nutrients. If they find a spot in your yard where nutrients are easily accessible, they will try to make the most of that food supply. Your sewer pipes can serve as that accessible source of nutrition.

It happens only if sewer pipes leak. That is because the water inside sewer pipes is not accessible to plant roots if there is no leak. But the tiniest crack in a pipe will be exploited by plants. Once the root works its way into the break, it is only a matter of time before it fills the entire pipe.

Tree roots intrusion into sewer lines is one of the most common causes of sewer line damage. Early signs that your sewer line has tree roots are slow draining water and gurgling sounds coming from the toilet every time you flush.

The chances of this problem happening in your home increase with the age of the house. Older homes with old pipes prone to corrosion are more exposed to this problem, explains Keyrenter Premier Property Management. Tree roots intrusion in sewer pipes is also more likely if there are trees within 20 meters of your sewer lines.

Is there a way to remove tree roots if they find their way into your sewer lines? What can you do to prevent the problem? There are two aspects to dealing with the issue of tree root intrusion into sewer lines. You must get rid of the roots and repair the damage to your pipes.

This post deals with tree root removal only.

How to remove tree roots from your sewer line pipes

Below are three DIY options for removing tree roots from a sewer line. These options only work for removing small tree roots. If you try them and the problem does not go away, you will have to go for the fourth solution; getting a professional to solve the issue.

Use rock salt

Rock salt is not coarse sea salt or table salt. It is that stuff you throw on icy sidewalks. Rock salt helps remove tree roots because it draws the water from them. If you deprive them of moisture, tree roots become dehydrated and die. Rock salt can be bought online or at a local store; you need 2 pounds of it.

To do this, follow these steps;

  • Pour ½ a pound of rock salt into your toilet. 
  • Flush the toilet as many times as necessary to push the salt into the lines. 
  • Once the salt is gone, let it sit inside the pipes for at least 12 hours. 
  • During this time, do not flush your toilets. It will give the salt enough time to do its work.

Note that rock salt will kill tree roots, the tree, and surrounding vegetation. Rock salt can also corrode and weaken pipes. 

Use copper sulfate

Copper sulfate, also known as bluestone, will kill the tree roots inside your sewer line pipes. You can buy this cheap herbicide/algaecide at your local hardware or garden supply store. You only need a half cup of copper sulfate.

To use it, follow these steps;

  • Pour half a cup of copper sulfate into the toilet.
  • Flush until all the crystals get into the lines. 
  • Open the windows in your home and leave the house for a few hours, taking your kids and pets with you. 
  • Flush the toilet when you return.

Warning: copper sulfate is toxic to pets; it can kill them on contact. It is banned in certain places; before you use it, check the local legislation.

Use foaming root killers

Foaming root killers kill tree roots and keep them from growing back. This powder foams when it comes in contact with water. Tree roots hate the active agent in the powder – dichlobenil – and will stay away if they detect the substance. 

To use the powder, pour it into your toilet and flush. It will locate the tree roots and kill them. It also leaves a residue that prevents future tree root intrusion. You can repeat this every month to avoid future problems with tree roots.

Cut the tree roots

This solution requires you to call a local plumber, and it works for both small and large tree roots. The plumber will first do a camera inspection of your sewer lines to know the exact location of the tree roots. Afterward, plumbers can get rid of the tree roots using a process known as hydro jetting service.

hydro-jetting-service

High Pressure Water Streaming Known as Hydro-Jetting is the Best Way to Cut Through Tree Root Infiltration in your Sewer Line.

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Have tree roots growing into your sewer line that you need removed in Chicagoland? We can help! Contact us at 773-599-9181 or by form below: