Do You Need to Have a New Sewer Line Installed?

Do You Need to Have a New Sewer Line Installed?

A sewer line is one of those things that you never really think about until it stops working. Of course, you need a sewer line to remove waste from your home, and for most homeowners, sewer lines function perfectly well without much need for maintenance.

However, sewer lines are not built to last forever, and over time problems can arise. This is especially true for older sewer lines, many of which are made from galvanized steel. This material corrodes over time, and gets to a point where repair is essentially impossible; full replacement is needed. The question for Vancouver homeowners is, how do you know when it’s time to schedule a new sewer line installation?

The short answer is that you call a seasoned Vancouver plumbing team to diagnose your plumbing woes, and to offer suggestions for improvement. In particular, you should call a plumber and inquire about sewer line replacement when you observe any of the following symptoms:

1. Problems in your yard. Damp yards with foul odors usually betray a deeper problem with the sewer lines. This is because, when a sewer line ruptures, the wastewater it contains travels up through the soil, resulting in nasty puddles in your yard, usually with a vile odor. If you see puddles that you do not think are from rain or from your sprinkler system, and if you smell a sewage smell, it could be because of a sewer line problem.
2. Problems with your drains. Do you have backed-up drains throughout your home? Of course, a single back-up is nothing to worry about—toilets and kitchen drains clog up for other reasons, from time to time—but if all your drains start backing up at the same time, it could point to a sewer line problem.
3. Problems in the basement. Finally, sewer line problems might sometimes manifest as issues in the basement, in particular flooding and water spots. This is actually the most significant form of damage that a busted sewer line can cause, so if you see some moist spots in the basement that you can’t account for, it’s best to call a plumber immediately.

Repairing or replacing a sewer line is a big undertaking, and not something that homeowners should ever attempt on their own. It is also something that is important to address promptly, before too much damage is done. To learn more, we invite you to contact us today.