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Eliminate the stress of broken sewer lines with prompt, professional sewer repair services from Peterson Plumbing, Heating, Cooling, and Drains. Serving Grand Junction, CO, and the surrounding areas, we ensure your sewer system is restored to optimal condition swiftly and efficiently. Don’t wait, call us today for a hassle-free solution!
Your sewer system is one of the essential systems in your home and a necessary component of everyday life. It plays a vital role in the function of your plumbing system. Therefore, when you experience a broken or blocked sewer line, you could be facing a major plumbing emergency. Sewer line repairs are quite an undertaking, so it is important to immediately call for professional plumbing help rather than trying to resolve the issue alone.
To avoid repairs and sewer line replacement, keep in mind that you should have your sewer line regularly checked and maintained every year. If your sewer pipe is already damaged, there are a few options for sewer pipe repair, now including trenchless sewer repair.
This popular method involves digging two holes and pulling the replacement pipe through the damaged pipe. As the new pipe is pulled through, a cone-shaped attachment works to break apart the old, broken pipe so that the new pipe can be installed without excavation and digging up your entire yard.
Sewage Backups & Blockages – If you’re experiencing clogs, water backflow, or water backing up when you flush your toilet or use the sink or the bathtub, it is a sign that you have some sort of drain or sewer problem. If you’re experiencing regular backups and your attempts to clear the line fail, make sure you contact a highly-trained plumber at Peterson Plumbing, Heating, Cooling, and Drains to schedule a sewer inspection.
Sewer Odor – A sanitary sewer should be airtight everywhere except for in vent stacks. Sewer odors around your property are a tell-tale sign that there is a crack or a clog somewhere in your sewer line.
Slow Drain – A slow drain may be a sign that a blockage is forming, which will eventually lead to a clog and a sewage backup. If your bathtub, sink or toilet is draining slowly, try solving the issue in the early stage. If you experience slow drainage with all your drains, it’s likely you’re not dealing with a simple clog but a bigger problem.
Soggy Spots on Your Lawn – If you have undetected leaks in your sewer line, you may notice damp, soggy, or raised patches of ground in the yard. This means that there is a lot of water underneath the surface of your lawn.
Lush Patches of Grass – Have you spotted an extra green and lush patch of grass? Have your plants begun to flourish and grow surprisingly fast? Maybe it’s because the soil around the leakage has been receiving extra nutrients from the unexpected fertilizer – sewage.
Septic Waste Pooling in Yard – One of the most obvious signs that you have a broken sewer pipe is septic wastewater pooling in the yard. You may be facing a broken main line or septic tank, or a clogged drain field under the pool of sewer water.
BELLIES
Most people do not know the term “belly” in the sewer line, but it is simply a low or sagging spot in the line. Bellies can occur with clay, PVC, or other material piping. Many times bellies are caused by improper “bedding” of the line during the installation of the original sewer line.
When a sewer line has a low spot or is “sagging” the pipe will begin holding water in this area. Sometimes bellies do not create a problem. Problems begin when debris like paper, grease, or other solids begin to settle in the low area and are not flushed through the line, creating soft blockages. In many cases, soft blockages can be cleaned and pushed out easily with regular cleaning. However, in some cases, the only way to fix a belly is to repair or replace the sewer line.
Certain types of sewer lines are susceptible to collapsing. These include bituminized fiber pipes and cast iron pipes. Also, age and deterioration play a significant role in pipes collapsing. If a sewer line has collapsed anywhere in the line, it is recommended that the sewer pipe be replaced.
PERFORATIONS
Perforations consist of multiple holes within a line. Perforations typically occur in pipes made of cast iron. Cast iron sewer lines tend to break down and are susceptible to collapsing. In addition, cast iron pipes are more likely to experience tree root infestation. When a perforation is detected, it is recommended that the pipe be replaced.
SEWER LINE SEPARATION
A sewer line separation is exactly what it says – the sewer line has come apart. The primary reason for separations is ground movement which can be naturally occurring or created by an outside source. Cracked joints can cause separations over time and installation workmanship can be the culprit in some cases. For example, joints in a PVC should not pull apart if properly installed. In all of these cases, the sewer line needs to be replaced.
SEWER LINE REPAIR AND REPLACEMENT METHODS
Sewer lines can be replaced with two main methods, sewer line excavation and trenchless sewer repair. The method chosen to perform the repair or replacement depends upon various factors for the homeowner to decide on. Call Peterson Plumbing, Heating, Cooling, and Drains for guidance from one of our expertly-trained technicians on how best to repair your sewer line today!
If you’ve never shut off the water to your home, you probably don’t know where to locate your main water shut-off valve. This piece of information is important to have, since you may need to shut off your water in a hurry during an emergency.
If you experience a burst pipe or need to make repairs to a leak, shutting off the water to the house may be the first logical step. If you are going to be out of town, it’s also a good idea to shut off the water to ensure your home is flood-free when you return. Call us today for a Courtesy Plumbing Inspection and we will show you the location and tag it for you.
In order to maximize the life span of your water heater, you should always follow proper maintenance scheduling and fix any problems immediately. Drain your water heater at least once a year for the best results. A water heater could last you anywhere between 5-12 years depending on usage and maintenance.
Usually, drains are clogged because people are not careful of what they put in them, especially in the kitchen. Other drains, like in the bathroom, get clogged because of the oil residue from soaps, shampoos and hair. It is recommended that you are conscious of what you put down your drains and treat them regularly with a professional grade drain cleaner.
On rare occasions, your toilet will begin to bubble when you drain the bathtub. This happens when your septic tank is full or when roots have punctured plumbing pipes underground. Call us and we can camera the line to see what is causing this.
Drain cleaners are usually very toxic, not a good thing to keep around the home, especially if you have children or pets. These toxic chemicals also have a negative effect on your pipes, causing deterioration from the inside out. When this happens, the drains lines will need to be replaced. There are various products on the market that contain “friendly” bacteria and enzymes. These work great for keeping drain sludge and grease from building up on the pipes. For serious clogs give us a call.
Have you noticed an unpleasant odor drifting through your home? You didn’t burn dinner. You just cleaned the house. Still, for some reason, your home smells like the sewer. You can try to cover up the stench with scented candles, but this probably isn’t the best solution. This smell is typically caused by one of three reasons:
Sewer trap plugs. Missing or loose sewer trap plugs are the most common cause of indoor sewer smell. Your sewer access pit contains a house trap. This is a U-shaped piece that traps water to serve as a barrier between the city sewer and your home. If the plug on this trap is poorly fitted or gone entirely, public sewer odor can travel into your home.
Dried trap. If the water in the U-trap has dried up, it no longer acts as a barrier to the sewer odor. Run some water into the trap to recreate the barrier. This should eliminate the odor.
City sewer. Is the odor coming from outside? A sewer smell outdoors can indicate the city sewer is experiencing major plumbing problems, not your home. However, if the smell persists, it may be due to the drains from your house. Give us a call and we can determine your sewer smell.
Often, walls and flooring hide small leaks, making them undetectable. The first detectable sign might be when the water finds its way through the floor into the light fixture. If this happens, you have a leak somewhere nearby. This is a common plumbing emergency. Take the following steps to correct it.
Don’t touch it. Do not touch the light fixture or try to drain the water from it. Avoid using the fixture’s switch, too. Remember, water and electricity are not friends.
Cut the power. Instead of turning off the light, go directly to your home’s breaker box and shut off the power.
Cut the water. If you find the source of the water, such as an overflowing sink or washing machine, shut off the water supply there. If you aren’t sure where the source is, turn off the water supply at your home’s main shut-off valve and call us.
Is laundry day starting to sound like a percussion band? Modern appliances often work so quickly they cause pipes to jerk as the water pressure changes. If the pipes are not fastened tightly, they may move around and cause banging noises. If this banging continues, it can wear out the pipes and cause damage. It’s also very annoying to listen to.
To prevent the pipes from banging, you can do one of three things:
Locate the pipes making the noise and add pipe straps to hold them in place. You can find these at any store that sells plumbing supplies.
If you are unable to access the pipes, you can install water hammer arrestors. These shock absorbers cushion the change in water pressure, so the pipes don’t jerk and bang.
You can call us to investigate the problem and find a solution for you.
High water pressure—that is, pressure over 65 psi, or pounds per square inch—is too hard on your home’s internal pipes and fittings. If your home has high water pressure, there will be signs indicating the pressure is too high. It is important to pay attention to these signs so you can remedy the problem before the high-water pressure ends up damaging your home’s pipes, water heater, toilets or shutoff valve. Symptoms of high-water pressure in a house include:
A knocking, banging or hammering noise coming from the pipes when you turn on a faucet in the house (this is known as a “water hammer”).
Leaky faucets.
Irregular water pressure in your showers and sinks, or water that comes out in spurts.
Water-using appliances that fail prematurely, such as a water heater, clothes washing machine or a dishwasher with an unusually short lifespan.
Toilets that run constantly or in cycles, even when they aren’t in use.
If you suspect you have symptoms of high-water pressure in your house give us a call today to test your pressure and give you a solution.
If your water heater is making a strange noise, it’s worth looking into. Noise from a water heater usually means sediment buildup, which indicates that it’s time to get it looked at, or it may mean you need need to replace your water heater.
