Flooding and sewer backups can be a catastrophic experience. If your wastewater is not draining properly, your entire property could be inundated and potentially ruined. Understanding what your sewer line is and how to properly have it inspected will save you time and money.
What is the Sewer Line?
Visualize all the plumbing in your home. Think about the sinks, the drains, showers, and appliances. Can you estimate how many gallons of water flow through your plumbing on a daily basis? Every ounce of water goes drown the respective drain and then flows into the sewer. There are not dozens of pipes running to the sewer from your property, there is only one pipe, the sewer line.
Located at the lowest point of your plumbing system, the sewer line is most likely in the basement. Powered only by gravity, all of your wastewater is funneled into the pipe. Because the load of the water is so immense, the sewer line is a much larger pipe, both in diameter and length. Thousands of gallons of water passes through this pipe on a weekly basis. And if it was just water, there would be little opportunity for damage to occur.
Common Causes of Sewer Line Damage
More than just water is being flushed down your drains. Toothpaste, hair and assorted toiletries all find their way into your plumbing. From the shower, your hair mixes with soap and dirt, clogs and blockages can form. If you wash dishes in your kitchen sink, food particles and grease can end up lining your pipes. All of this dirt, hair, floss, and whatever else is pushed into your sewer drain. The highest likelihood of having a blockage form is in the last part of your plumbing. It is the sewer line that must funnel everything and then transport it to the sewer.
Common problems in the sewer line:
Blockages. Caused by everything in your house, blockages in the sewer line prevents the normal flow of water. This can include flooding and slow draining sinks throughout the home.
Roots. Tree roots are a likely culprit in damaging your sewer line. Because it is buried beneath the lawn, plants and roots can worm their way in. The constant flow of water, rich in nutrients, only encourages growth.
Small animals. The sewer line’s tunnel like construction is the perfect habitat for small animals to live in. Nests built by rats, even cockroach swarms can invade your sewer line and cause problems for your home.
Camera Inspection for Your Sewer Line
Here at Cole Plumbing, we have a way to see inside your sewer line without the need for construction equipment. Using a small robotic camera, we can drive through the sewer line and see, using a video stream, any damage that could exist. This allows our technicians to pinpoint specific problems and allow for customized repairs. We cut out all unnecessary repairs and ensure your sewer line is up and running in no time. Contact us today to find out more.
Please note that we do charge a mileage fee for any job more than 30 miles from our office in Montgomery
