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As far as single-family homes are concerned, only two types of drainage systems exist: septic systems and sewer systems. No matter how a home is built, whether it be on a concrete slab, over a basement, or over a crawlspace, waste water and sewage has to escape in some way. While septic systems are becoming more and more obsolete, sewer systems can be found all across the world, in virtually every type of building application. Sewer systems contain the city/county main, along with branch (service) lines extending to houses and businesses. Residential homes, along with multi-family apartment complexes, use fairly standard sewer construction in order to facilitate the disposal of waste water and sewage. All drains from the home tie together before they leave the structure, eventually converging into a (usually) 4" main. This main sewer line travels underground, ranging from 18" deep at the home all the way up to 25' or more at the tap (where your sewer line meets the county/city main).
Sewer lines can be constructed of several different types of materials and fittings. The most commonly used material today is PVC, or poly-vinyl chloride. This plastic pipe offer incredible strength, ease of installation, and low production costs, therefore saving money for all. It also has a long life span, reaching and exceeding 60 years. PVC was not always the standard choice for sewer line construction, however. Many years ago, terracotta, a type of clay, was commonly used for sewer piping. While popular, it was inherently weak and was susceptible to cracking, crushing, and root penetration. Cast iron sewer lines were used shortly after terracotta, and while it offered a heavy increase in strength, cast iron was time-consuming to connect, while also being (as it is a metal underground) weak against rust problems. Root problems also became an issue, as the decaying cast iron allowed for easy access for trees looking for water. Due to these trials, PVC has now become the commonplace material for sewer lines, and has had an excellent track record.
Sewer line problems happen for a number of reasons, the majority of which have already been explained. Roots, breaks, separations, and rusting are all common issues, and we service them all. When it comes time for your line to be repaired or replaced, the exact location of the problem must first be found and marked. We accomplish this by using the latest technology in drain cameras and locating electronics. Once the trouble spot is located, the necessary repair can be made. A simple repair can include digging up the spot, removing the damaged section of sewer line and replacing it with a new section of PVC pipe with adapters. More extensive problems may lead to the necessity of a sewer line replacement, in which your entire line from house to street is removed and replaced. This type of work is obviously a little more expensive, but it ensures that you will have no future problems with you sewer system outside the home. We repair and replace anywhere from 5-10 sewer lines every week, and as such, there is nothing we haven’t seen. Our sewer line technicians are incredibly experienced, professional, efficient and neat. We perform any and all sewer line work with minimal damage to your yard or landscaping. We also bring your outdated sewer line up to any new code standards in place.
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