If a drain pipe breaks, mold may develop. The broken pipe will allow moisture to leak behind the walls, causing hidden mold damage that may cost thousands of dollars to fix.
Go to the city office directly or call them to see if they can tell you where the sewer line is located. Usually, they can show you where the line goes from your home to the city's main line. If you are unable to reach the city, see if there is an interactive underground utility map of your area online.
To test for leaks, we take a rubber, inflatable test ball that is connected to an air hose and insert it into the sewer pipe at the main line cleanout. Once it is in place at the perimeter of your home, we inflate the ball to artificially plug the sewer line so that no water flows past it.
For instance, residential sewer line depth ranges from 18 to 30 inches. However, city sewer line depths are different. Your city's sewer lines must always be deeper than the deepest residential pipe to allow waste to flow downhill. As such, these lines can go as deep as needed.
You will likely pay around $350 to $650 to have a plumber unclog a main sewer line unless you have complications like serious damage to the line.
It can typically be found in the basement, crawl space or garage. You will want to search for a pipe that is approximately four inches in diameter with a screw cap on the top that has a notch or square knob at the top. Note that some homes have an indoor sewer cleanout point, while others may be located outdoors.
Does homeowners insurance cover your sewer line if it's damaged? Damage to your sewer line may be covered by your policy if it is caused by perils such as hail or windstorms, explosions, lightning or fire, damages caused by vehicles, vandalism or falling objects.
Besides the distinct sounds you hear when a damaged pipe is leaking, these are other common signs of a busted pipe, including: Unusually wet areas inside and outside the facility like puddles (big or small) Rusty, dirty, or bad smelling water. Presence of mold or mildew.
If your sewer line is close to the surface, a broken pipe can quickly begin to pool water which seeps through the grass and becomes visible on the surface. Sometimes you may not see water, but you can tell that the ground is wet and squishy.
Life Expectancy of a Sewer Pipe
Old homes, or homes built prior to 1980, will most likely have clay sewer pipes. Clay sewer pipe life expectancy is approximately 50 years. PVC pipe, which became more prominent after 1980, typically lasts longer – approximately 100 years.
Your sanitation district will be able to tell you the approximate depth by going off the plats of how that sewer system was laid out, along with all the laterals, manholes, turns of direction. Everything in Plumbing can be repaired or replaced.
Sewer lines come in a variety of depths. They can range in depth from 12″ to 30″ and can be as deep as 6+ ft. Often, it's only a matter of the environment and climate.
Finding an Outdoor Drain Cleanout
If you use a septic system, walk back towards your home and look for a protruding plastic pipe in your lawn or garden. If the cleanout is on the municipal sewer line, you won't see the drainage line. But follow a path through the yard to find the cleanout pipe.
Professional plumbers can use various camera styles to inspect the sewer line, such as: Remote-controlled crawler cameras. Pole or fixed zoom cameras. Push rod cameras.
The easiest way to find underground pipes is by using RTK-enabled devices. These devices can pinpoint the location of several types of pipes, from water to oil pipes, with centimeter-level precision.
If you'd rather stay closer to traditional plumbing but don't want to install pipes, an upflush toilet could be the way to go. Another version of a toilet without plumbing is upflush toilets, which use a macerator pump to move waste up against gravity.