What is a Main Line? To put it simply, your main line is your sewer line. It's a line located underground that carries all wastewater from your home to a municipal connection or septic tank, not just toilet water.
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.
your drain line. The main sewer line is outside the home, while drain lines are inside your house. When these systems need maintenance or repairs, the type of plumber you should call will depend on whether the problem is in a drain line inside your home or the main sewer line outside your home.
You may spot a 3 to 4-inch diameter pipe peeking out of the slab floor of the basement. The sewer drain pipe could be made of plastic or cast iron; it might be copper or brass in rare cases. The stub-out will have a screw-in plug coupled with a square-head lug on it, representing your access to the main drain.
The national average rate for sewer cleaning prices ranges between $200 and $600, with most people paying around $250 for a main sewer line cleaning with minimal-to-no excavation to access the cleanout. This project's low cost is $150 for light-duty professional sewer cleaning with a snake.
Trenchless sewer repairs, such as pipe lining or pipe bursting, are typically 30-40% less expensive than traditional excavation and less invasive. Traditional excavation, which involves digging a trench to access the damaged pipe, is usually more expensive and can cause significant damage to your yard.
Often, these clogs can be fixed without contacting an emergency plumber in Austin. However, if the problem is the main sewer line, then it's a totally different situation. It's an emergency and it's not going to get better without professional help.
Main drains are located in the walls and floors of your home, while sewer line drains are located outside underground. Each drain pipe in your home is connected to a different household fixture on one end, including toilets, sinks and bathtubs, and the other end is connected to the main sewer line.
Most homeowners end up paying around $150 per linear foot. Since the average cost for replacing a sewer line is between $1,300 and $4,900, this means the average length of repairs is between nine and 33 linear feet.
Expert Recommendations for Sewer Line Cleaning
We recommend homeowners schedule sewer line cleaning every 18 to 24 months to prevent buildup and clogs. Regular cleanings help avoid costly repairs and extend the life of your plumbing system.
Generally speaking, you're going to find that most main sewer lines will only last somewhere between 50 and 100 years before you need to do a main sewer line replacement. You could very well have a broken sewer line on your hands right now and not even realize it.
All wastewater from your house is carried to the municipal sewer line by one main drain pipe that typically runs horizontally, but with a slight downward slope, under the lowest floor in your home out to the municipal sewer main or out to the septic field.
The second answer is NO: If you notice that drains are overflowing or making a gurgling noise or even sucking the water seal dry it would most likely point towards a fault in the drainage system.
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.
The drainpipe from your kitchen sink connects to the larger sewer line or wastewater plumbing system of your house.
Your home's sewer cleanout is a crucial part of your plumbing system. You'll usually find it outside, about 1 to 3 feet from where your house meets the ground. Look for a pipe sticking up with a cap on top that might have a square knob or notch for turning.
With a clogged basement drain, pouring Drano or similar products down your sewer drain can actually damage your pipes or the glue holding them together, causing more sewer system problems in the future.
Strange Smells and Noises
Foul smells emanating from your sink, bathtub or floor drain indicate a main sewer line blockage. The clog leaves nowhere else for the waste causing the smell to go, leaving a lingering odor. In addition to strange smells, you might also notice a gurgling noise coming from your drains.
Clogs, clogs, clogs: Recurring clogs can be one reason that sewer lines keep backing up. You'll experience persistent clogs if things like oil, grease, hair, “flushable” wipes, or other items keep entering your drains and sewer line. The good news is that this is one of the easiest problems to fix.
As we mentioned above, it's certainly possible for a homeowner to perform sewer line replacement or sewer line repair. However, it's definitely not an easy job. When you replace the sewer line yourself you run the risk of causing even more damage.
Sewer work is expensive because of the labor-intensive process involved, which includes excavation, pipe removal, and installation of a new one. It requires significant manual labor and expertise, driving up the overall cost.
Roto-Rooter is a national service available in every U.S. state, including Alaska and Hawaii. Flat-rate pricing might be slightly higher in states with a higher cost of living, such as California or New York, but most plumbers charge between $45 and $200 per hour.