If your sewer line has collapsed, the effects are far worse than a clog. A collapsed sewer line can cause widespread problems throughout your home or business. The sooner you schedule sewer line replacement with a plumbing company in Southern California, the less costly the damage may be. Here are some telltale signs of a sewer pipe collapse so you know when to call for help.
A backup can affect a toilet, sink, or bathtub. Frequent backups affecting the lower parts of your home are often due to a sewer line collapse. The collapsed section gives water nowhere to go. Instead of draining through the line, it builds up, reverses, and follows the path of least resistance.
However, the water may recede if dirt around the collapsed pipe slowly absorbs it. The signs of a problem may progress slowly over time, depending on where the collapse occurs.
Every drain in your home connects to the main sewer line. If it collapses, every drain can be affected. Therefore, if multiple sinks and toilets in your home are backing up, it’s safe to assume there’s a collapsed sewer line. Water may drain slowly or not at all. The issue can manifest in only certain drain outlets, so a plumber will need to perform a camera inspection to determine where the damage is.
The smell of sewer gas is a sure sign there’s damage to the sewer system. Sewers are normally airtight except for the vent stack. A sewage backup not only smells bad. It contains bacteria, gases, and other pollutants that can spread disease and cause other health hazards.
A sewer line problem can cause a toilet to suddenly start bubbling. If you hear gurgling noises from the toilet when running the sink, something is awry. You may also hear strange noises throughout your plumbing system. There are many bends, turns, and connections in your plumbing, so the effects of a collapse can be unpredictable.
If the sewer line under it is broken, one area of your lawn may be overgrown with grass. A patch of vegetation over the line can grow uncontrollably and be saturated with water. Sogginess may or may not be obvious (sinkholes can form in the most extreme cases). But if you mow the grass and an area grows faster than other parts or a patch of grass becomes saturated and dies, call a plumber to determine if you need sewer line replacement.
Insects can easily get into cracked pipes and then breed and multiply rapidly in stagnant water. Rodents love the shelter of sewers. If there are small cracks, they can squeeze through and get into your home. Both can carry germs and diseases, which is another reason to have the sewer line fixed right away.
If a sewer line under your property has ruptured, water may erode the soil, causing the ground to shift under your foundation. The concrete slab and supporting walls then settle. Cracks begin to form in the slab and on the walls. Gradually, the foundation loses the ability to hold the weight of the structure. Severe erosion and ground shifting can cause a building to collapse.
You may need sewer line replacement because the pipe collapsed due to tree roots breaking it up. Grease and other debris buildup can also cause a sewer pipe to collapse. Pipe erosion is a common cause as well.
The method used to fix the sewer pipe depends on the nature and severity of the problem. A plumber can use trenchless pipe lining, which involves using an epoxy liner to create a pipe within a pipe. Another option is pipe bursting, in which a new pipe is pulled through the damaged one, fracturing the old line and replacing the damaged portion. If neither of these methods can be used, the contractor may have to resort to digging and trenching to perform sewer line replacement.
The cost of fixing a collapsed sewer line varies considerably. Plumbing contractors usually charge by the linear foot, so the more piping they replace, the more expensive the job. The price of materials, location of the damage, and repair method used also affect the total cost of the project. Replacing a sewer line usually costs several thousand dollars.
The leading plumbing company in Southern California, NexGen has fully licensed and insured technicians ready to address the signs of a sewer line collapse. We provide 24-hour emergency plumbing services and specialize in various methods of repairing pipes. Our team is prompt and can quickly repair a damaged sewer line on a residential or commercial property. For immediate help, call (805) 301-6788 today.
