Are you having problems with a slow shower drain? Is there a weird smell coming from your bathroom? Do you feel like you’re constantly plunging your clogged up toilet?
If so then you might have worse problems on your hands then simply slow drains. You could have a back up somewhere in your pipes. Or worse, one of your pipes may be infiltrated by roots.
Don’t wait until your shower starts getting backed up with dirt, debris, or worse. Call a plumber and get your bathroom looked at before your problem turns into a nightmare.
If you’re overwhelmed at the idea of tackling your bathroom problems, don’t worry, we’ve got you covered.
Keep reading to learn about the signs you need to call a professional and what to ask them once you do. We'll get you taken care of so you find the best line replacement service in Mississauga.
Four Signs You Might Need Sewer Line Replacement
Nobody likes to think about their sewer line. If you’ve got a clog or leak somewhere in your pipes, then you need to address it sooner rather than later. If you see or smell any of these signs in your bathroom, kitchen, or laundry area then you need to pay attention before a small problem gets bigger.
Sign 1: Slow Shower Drain
An early warning sign of plumbing problems is a slow shower drain. Don’t stand in dirty water while you’re showering. If your shower isn’t draining properly, call a plumber. This is a sign of a clog starting to form and you don’t want to wait until your line is completely blocked before you call someone.
It can be tempting to try to fix this on your own, but it's likely you won’t be able to. A professional can use cameras to ensure that using a snake isn’t just pushing the clog further down the drain.
Sign 2: Debris or Dirt Coming Back Up
Another sure sign of a clog or break in your mainline is when debris or dirt starts coming back up into your shower or sinks. When you ignore a slow drain long enough, the problem will eventually get worse.
This is the sign that you can’t keep ignoring. You don’t want what starts coming back up to be worse than dirt. Call a professional immediately and get their help to solve your problem rather than continuing to ignore it or trying to fix it on your own.
Sign 3: Foul Smells
Bad smells in the bathroom are common. Lingering smells that can’t be explained are cause for concern. Spend some time in the bathroom and try to figure out the source.
It may be a case of leaky pipes - leading to standing water and possible mould growth. Or, the foul smell may be from backed-up sewer gases. Either way, both are not good for your health.
You need to get to the bottom of the smell before a bad situation turns worse. Backed up plumbing not only means your water isn’t draining, it means the sewer gas, methane, isn’t leaving your home either. This is a serious problem and needs to be addressed by a professional plumber.
As mentioned earlier, clogged vents in your sewer line can cause a slow drain. Unfortunately, sewer gases are unable to escape either.
These trapped gases can cause an unseemly, and unsafe, smell in your bathroom. Again, checking your vents is a job for the professionals.
Sign 4: Regular Toilet Clogs
If you find yourself constantly having to plunge your toilets, then you might have a sewer line problem. The same is true for any sink or tub in your home. When water is having a hard time flushing or draining you likely have a clogged or broken line.
Slow draining toilets or funny sounds each time you flush can be cause for concern. Don't wait until your toilet starts overflowing nasty toilet contents onto your bathroom floor. Call a professional plumber today and get it checked out before it becomes much worse.
So, stop constantly plunging and snaking your lines and call a professional today.
5 Questions to Ask Your Line Replacement Service Company
Once you’ve called a plumber, don’t stop there. This is a big deal and could be expensive. You don’t want to spend more than you need to.
Unfortunately, there are unscrupulous people out there trying to get your hard-earned money. Ask these questions of everybody and make sure you’re getting the best plumber without spending an arm and a leg.
Question 1: Are They Licensed and Certified?
When you ask if your plumber is licensed, you learn a few key things about them. First, you learn that they have been through the proper training and apprenticeship required to become licensed.
Second, you learn that they have been keeping up with the building codes and equipment upgrades through continuing education. Lastly, you verify that they are bonded and insured which are required in most regions to keep your license.
If anything happens and you need to file a homeowner’s insurance claim, the first question they will ask is if your plumber was licensed. So, be sure to ask this question yourself when you’re interviewing any potential professional to come work in your home.
Question 2: Ask for References
You want to find an experienced professional. It might sound nice to help your neighbour’s nephew who is starting his own business. But when it comes to a blocked sewer line, any mistake could be costly and smelly.
So, ask for references and call their former customers. You will be surprised how people want to help others in the same situation.
If they are new to business or can’t give you references, consider this a warning sign to keep looking. You want to stick to the experienced professionals when it comes to a sewer line replacement.
Additionally, be sure to check online reviews. This is a simple step that could save you time and headaches down the road.
Question 3: What Are Their Work Processes and Time Estimates?
You have a right to know how long the job will take and what the scope of the job entails. Don’t be afraid to ask them what their work process looks like and what their estimated timeline will be. A true professional will have all this information readily available.
They need to know this for their own business so they can schedule themselves appropriately, so don’t hesitate to ask. And if they can’t give you a reasonable estimate, consider talking with someone else.
Question 4: Ask Your Friends for Referrals
Reach out to neighbours and co-workers and find out if anyone recommends a service company near you. You will also find out when someone had a bad experience by taking the time to ask around.
Recommendations and leads will give you peace of mind when you start calling to make appointments. Tap into your network and see what you come up with. You might be surprised to find others having the same problem as you.
Question 5: Get a Second Opinion
It’s okay to shop around for comparison. Don’t let a pushy salesperson pressure you into signing a contract without doing your due diligence. Once you’ve asked friends for references and checked online reviews in the suggestions above, make your list and start calling around.
As you will see in the next section (and as you can probably guess) sewer line replacement won’t be inexpensive. When it comes to an investment of this size you want to do your due diligence to find the best professional you can. So, don't stop with the first estimate, get a second estimate and even a third if you need to.
Two Plumbing Line Replacement Options
When you’re speaking with your plumber about the cost and scope of the repair or replacement job, ask how they will do it. Many plumbers are offering trenchless options to avoid costly digging and restoration to your yard.
Dig a Trench
Traditionally, when you think of a sewer line replacement you might picture a backhoe coming in to dig up your entire yard. And, unfortunately, for bad piping problems, this is the only solution. Luckily, for some problems, some plumbers now offer a trenchless option that won’t dig up your yard from your home to the street.
After an initial pipe inspection, usually done with a camera sent through your pipes, we can decide if trenchless is an option for you. In any event, we will advise you on the best course of action.
Trenchless Options
LINING
Drain lining, as the name suggests, involves lining the inside of a drain with fiberglass, which bonds to the inside of the pipe. It has been likened to manually building an extra pipe within the existing drain pipe. Note that pipe relining is not only used for broken drains. It is just as effective when fixing blocked drains and it provides a smoother surface for drainage owing to the fact that deposits cannot stick to it.
BURSTING
Pipe Bursting is a trenchless method of sewer construction. It is an alternative to the Open Trench Excavation method that allows for replacing or upsizing an existing pipe without the need for a traditional construction trench. The bursting tool breaks the old pipe apart and pulls the new pipe into place behind it.
Get Your Sewer Taken Care of in Mississauga
As you can see, problems with flushing your toilet or a mere slow drain may actually lead to bigger issues. Don’t let your sewer line problems turn into something more.
If you’re seeing any of the signs listed above, it's time to call a professional. Don’t wait until you start to have sewage backing up into your bathroom. Get someone out to look at your pipes sooner rather than later.
Here in Mississauga, we have beautiful trees and shrubbery. Unfortunately, their roots can start to grow into your pipes. When that happens, we’re here to help you take care of it quickly with our line replacement service.
Contact us today so we can help you get things back to normal -- without unwanted sewer problems!