Sewer Line Repair Options
Trenching is the most common way to do a sewer repair. It requires the dirt to be dug up to expose the sewer line for repair. Trenching can be performed to expose a small area for a spot repair of a sewer line or it can be digging up an entire length of a sewer line. Trenching is generally done using an excavator, mini excavator or backhoe. In some cases, when it is not possible to get equipment in to the job site, a hand dig is required. Safety is always our main concern when trenching. Our crew is trained with the strictest safety standards. We use a system called trench shoring, where two pieces of metal are assembled to line the trench on either side and keep the dirt from caving in. Our crew is trained to operate heavy equipment with a high degree of accuracy, which is important to successfully avoid underground utilities and other obstacles such as power lines and homes.
Sewer Lines Only is careful to protect the integrity of your landscaping. Having a procedure to handle the dirt that comes out of a trench is important. Some of the dirt will be excess, which we load into a dump truck and dispose of off-site. The reason not all of the dirt will go back into the trench is because a new sewer line will be bedded with ¾ inch crushed granite or squeegee. This bedding material prevents the new sewer line from shifting causing low spots. We will lay down ply wood on grass to preserve the landscaping.
For more information on trenchless sewer repair, see our educational page on trenchless sewer repairs.
Traditional Sewer Repair Solutions in Denver
Trench-digging remains the most common method in sewer repair. When trenchless sewer reconstruction isn’t an available option, trenched repair is a thorough solution that takes care of the most pressing problems that result from old or damaged sewer pipes.
Problems that can be fixed by open-top sewer repair services in Denver
Your sewage line is almost certainly the biggest drain in your entire house. Its massive presence, unfortunately, also leaves it open to several significant issues, whether they’re from construction flaws, old age, or catastrophic events.
Our sewer repair services in Denver can address any of these major sewage problems:
- Pipe and sewer backup or blockage
- Cracks, breaks, and joint leaks
- Sinking or bellied pipes
- Corrosion and rust damage
- Weather damage
- Warped or misaligned pipes
- Tree root damage
Advantages of sewer line repair services over trenchless
- Lower cost. While trenchless sewer repair is less intrusive on lawns and sewer lines, it uses specialized equipment and is a bit more complex. Trenched sewer repair is easier to do, so it can save customers money upfront.
- Higher reliability. With trenched sewer repair, our workers can see the entire sewer line, keeping a better eye on the entire system and what they’re doing.
- More thorough. Trenched sewer repair removes old, broken sewer pipes entirely from the ground, rather than potentially leaving fragments of busted pipes from trenchless repair buried underneath.
- An option when trenchless repair can’t happen. When your sewage can’t support trenchless repair due to its construction, or there’s no available entry or exit point for the pipe, trenched sewer repair is always a possibility. If the existing pipes are completely unsalvageable, trenched repair is probably the only effective option you’ll have.
Disadvantages of open-top sewer line repair services
Although the trenched option remains the most common kind of sewer line repair in Denver, it does present some challenges, primarily involving the care and rehabilitation of one’s lawn:
- Trenched repair causes a huge hole in your property. There’s no way around creating a giant, unseemly hole in a substantial portion of your lawn with trenched repair. Besides looking unpleasant, a trench also presents an obvious hazard for adults and children walking past.
- Damaged ground can take time to “heal.” After sewage repair is finished your lawn will still show obvious signs of destruction for at least a while — holes, mounds of dirt, patches, and possibly invisible compaction. Although it could repair itself in a timely manner, especially if it’s close to growing season, chances are it will take at least a little care and feeding to get the lawn back into shape.
- Re-landscaping your lawn can be expensive. Should your lawn, or surrounding structures like driveways, continue to show disrepair, it might be necessary to call in a professional lawn care technician, paver, or landscaper to restore its condition. That adds another expense to your household maintenance budget.
Common Signs of a Broken Sewer Pipe
Going too long without sewer line repair in Denver can make all of these problems infinitely worse. There are, however, a few easily observable signs that may indicate that your sewer system pipes need fixing:
- Strange, gurgling sounds coming from your toilet, sink, or tub drains
- Low water levels in your toilet bowl
- Extremely slow draining in your bathtub (or total failure to drain)
- Obvious sewage backup in your toilet, tub, or sinks
- A strong sewer odor in your basement, backyard, or other areas in the house
- Greener patches of grass around sewage pipes compared to other areas of your lawn
- Drenched or flooded areas of your lawn
Typical causes of sewer line damage
Sewer lines have only a few very simple tasks, but their construction and upkeep can be unexpectedly complex. Some of the most common sources of sewer line damage or malfunction include:
- Bad maintenance. Sewer lines need occasional support to remain in operable condition. Left unmonitored or poorly corrected, sewage pipes can develop severe buildup from any of the materials that regularly course through them: hair, toilet paper, grease, oil, sludge, and other debris. Pouring inappropriate substances, such as cooking oil, down your sink drain can also cause extensive damage.
- Tree roots. Sewage lines compete with growing trees for space underground, and sometimes they lose. Over time tree roots slowly penetrate and interfere with the pipes and joints that make up a sewage system, causing them to break or leak.
- Weather changes. Pipes are subject to the effects of outside elements as much as any other part of one’s home. They’re liable to expand as the weather gets warmer and contract when it gets colder. The cycle of freezing and thawing can cause pipes to gradually expand and reduce, the stress of which can lead to breaks, cracks, or collapse.
- Old age. Besides getting more fragile and subject to corrosion as the years go by, some ancient sewage systems might be made of materials that are no longer used in plumbing. Some very old sewage systems might contain trace elements of material that’s now known to be toxic and even dangerous, like lead.
- Poor sewer construction. Improper design, layout, and installation of sewer systems can result in inadequate flow or movement of waste materials. The original blueprints may have contained design flaws or might have been intended for lighter capacity or less frequent use.
- City sewer line backup. If the public sewer line in your city, town, or municipality experiences clogs or backup, it could push sewage back into your home’s sewage system.
Complete Sewer Repair Solutions in Denver
Sewer Lines Only has seen and repaired some of the most destructive and problematic sewer line issues in the greater Denver area. We perform comprehensive open-top sewage service with close attention and concern for the preservation and safety of your lawn and home.
Our technicians have extensive knowledge and years of experience to help you decide upon the best solution when your sewage system needs repairs or upgrade, and we back all our work with a 5-year, transferable warranty. Call or contact Sewer Lines Only today for an estimate.
The Importance of Sewer Line Maintenance
It’s easy to take a home’s sewer lines for granted until something goes wrong. Even then, some homeowners or residents resist having their sewer lines inspected, figuring the issue will go away with normal use. This mistaken thinking can backfire in several inconvenient ways.
Getting your sewer line inspected at the first sign of trouble prevents more difficult problems from happening in the future. Left unrepaired, sewer line blockage can result in more serious problems besides flow stoppage and bad drainage.
- Deeper clogs and backups throughout the house. The main sewer line controls the movement of sewage throughout the entire home. A clog in your bathroom left unfixed can eventually affect kitchen drainage.
- Odor problems. Bacteria and gas buildup can result in the foul smell of sewage overtaking the air in your home.
- Health and safety hazards. Sewage contains traces of viruses, bacteria and other pollutants that can spread diseases to the living beings in your house. The accumulation of sewer-bred gases like methane can also pose health and fire threats.
- Expensive repairs. The longer you wait to get work done on your faulty sewer, the bigger the risk of more blockage and decomposition—and the more you’ll pay to have those huge problems fixed.
Benefits of Early Sewer Line Trouble Detection
- Stopping the problem before it gets worse. Finding and repairing a trouble spot in a sewer line halts the growth and aggravation of more damage, whether it’s from the backup of more sewage or the development of bigger cracks along the line.
- Saving money on more expensive repairs. The bigger your sewer line problem becomes, of course, the more you’ll have to pay to get it completely taken care of. A small expense to scope out the problem now prevents a huge expense when it gets much worse.
- Getting a clear picture of the problem. Camera scopes take away the speculations and assumptions plumbers were once forced to make. New technology in sewer inspection makes it possible to pinpoint the root of the problem with no guesswork.
- Preventing unneeded digging or trenches. Previous generations of plumbers and sewer technicians usually had to plow through shoveled grounds and gardens to fix pipe problems. Sewer Lines Only’s scopes gain an inside look at sewage pipes without tearing up the surface.
- Gaining peace of mind. Having a clear knowledge of the exact problem with your sewer line is much more comfortable than the anxiety and worry of not knowing.
