Sewer line replacement is really one of those things that most homeowners would rather not think about. That image of your lawn and flowerbeds destroyed by a deep, muddy trench to access exterior lines and your walls ripped apart to get to interior pipes is a waking nightmare that we would prefer to put out of our minds—until the moment it's unavoidable and chaos reigns.
What if it didn't have to be like that?
What if there was a way to replace your sewage lines without the need to dig a trench, so you could keep your property and family safe without destroying your lawn and home? That's exactly what Mr. Rooter Plumbing of Edmonton can accomplish with trenchless sewer replacement.
But what is trenchless sewer line repair? And how do you know you need your sewage lines replaced? We'll list and explain the seven signs you have a sewage disaster coming down the pipe.
What is Trenchless Sewer Replacement?
Nothing lasts forever, and that goes double for sewer lines. It's understandable—after all, these hard-working pipes take a lot of abuse and are expected to keep working year after year, usually with little to no cleaning, repair, or maintenance.
In the past, the only way to get water lines replaced was to dig a huge, costly, time-consuming trench that demolished your landscaping and could take days to dig, leaving you with no choice but to vacate your home while repairs were underway.
Trenchless pipe replacement, as the name suggests, eliminates the need to access the pipes by digging a trench. This sewer repair technology actually encompasses a number of different techniques that range from sewer pipe lining to hydraulic bursting.
Your plumber will investigate and recommend a method based on factors such as the kinds of pipes you have installed and the extent of the damage you're dealing with. But, trenchless replacements generally only require two small holes to be dug, which are quickly and easily filled in and won't cause much noticeable damage to your lawn.
Signs Your Home Has a Broken Sewer Pipe
If you've heard horror stories about sewage backups, you probably picture it as a flood of raw sewage covering the floors of your home and devastating everything you hold dear. However, that apocalyptic vision is actually the worst case scenario.
Usually there's many less obvious signs of a sewage backup, and it's important to know what they are so Mr. Rooter can get the situation resolved before your home turns into the most disgusting wading pool imaginable.
1. Nasty Smells
Most people are familiar with the none-too-subtle aroma of sewage. It shouldn't be detectable in your home, so if you can smell that revolting odour coming from your drains, that's a bad sign that something is going wrong with your sewer lines. It may not be coming directly from drains, though—if you notice a miasma of sewage in your basement or yard, that's just as bad.
2. Strange Noises
Does your toilet make weird sounds when you flush? Do your drains sound like they're suffering some terrible torment when you run the water? Unusual noises are another bad sign. Gurgling, bubbling, and sucking noises can occur when there's a blockage in the pipe that the water is struggling to get around, while grinding and screeching noises may indicate that broken parts of a pipe are shifting and grating against each other.
3. Toilet Clogs Frequently for No Reason
Are you crossing your fingers every time you reach for the flush lever? It's normal for a toilet to get a basic clog now and then, but if your toilet clogs often even though you're using it normally, it's not your fault. There is likely a serious clog or break somewhere along the sewer pipes that no amount of plunging and elbow grease is going to be able to work loose.
4. Visible Sewage in Low-Lying Fixtures
When you have raw sewage backing up into fixtures with drains close to the floor, such as toilets, bathtubs, and showers, let there be no doubt that something is seriously wrong and you need a professional plumber to take a look at your system right away. Sewage isn't just disgusting, it's a hazard that can jeopardize the health of your family and should not be messed around with.
5. Slow Draining (or No Draining) Fixtures
If you have just one drain in a fixture such as a sink, shower, or bathtub that drains really slowly or not at all, that particular drain probably has a simple clog that can be repaired easily. But, if most or all of your fixtures have problems with draining, there's a bigger problem afoot with your pipes. For example, if tree roots have intruded into the pipe at some point between your house and the city sewer, the water is not able to flow freely through the pipe and some wastewater may be seeping into the soil.
6. Water Pooling on the Lawn
Speaking of wastewater seeping into the soil... have you noticed water pooling on your lawn or patches of squishy, soggy grass? Sometimes this happens with rainwater if the lawn is not properly graded, but if pools of water appear where they never did before, that's a potential sign that your water lines are broken and are draining wastewater into the ground.
7. Sudden Lush Spots in the Grass
For reasons similar to the previous point, lush, green patches of grass that appear out of nowhere are not a cause for celebration. That grass is getting a sudden influx of "fertilizer" that is causing it to become a more vivid colour of green than normal—and that fertilizer is likely raw sewage leaking from a broken pipe.
What to Do When You Need Trenchless Sewer Replacement in Edmonton
This is the easy part—just call Mr. Rooter Plumbing of Edmonton! Our team of professional plumbers has the many years of experience with trenchless sewer repair and replacement needed to get your sewage system in perfect working order again, quickly and efficiently.
Contact us today at 780-429-3600, or request a job estimate online, and we'll have your sewer lines replaced before your neighbours even notice what's going on!