When older sewer pipes need repairs, they create a few distinct challenges for their current homeowners -- and occasionally even for the contractors that are hired for the professional jobs.
Cast iron was once the gold standard in plumbing pipelines, including the lateral line, which is the drain from your home into the city sewer main. When one ruptures, frequently the optimal option is to replace the cast iron with new ABS pipe that will not break as easily in the future.
Another modern sewer line replacement technique is called trenchless plumbing. This technique makes it possible to repair the sewer line without tearing up your ground. One variety of trenchless sewer line repair is called the "bursting method": Plumbers will thread a new pipeline through the existing, damaged pipeline. This further bursts the existing pipeline to make room for the new one.
A second trenchless sewer pipe repair technique is the "lining method." Using this method, contracters will place a flexible tube through the broken sewer line and inflate it. This lining will then make any ruptures in the existing pipe totally moot. Additionally, the lining can easily be taken out and fixed (or replaced) as necessary.
Even with trenchless sewer line repair, it is possible for nearby roots to repeat their attack. In addition to fixing the desctruction in the line, contracters may consider blocking root growth in the direction of the sewer line for any nearby trees.
The price of sewer line repair dramatically changes depending on the business doing the labor and how much labor has to be done. Some sewer pipes run beneath garages, driveways, or landscaping. Especially under such conditions, trenchless replacement can be a very desirable alternative. When choosing a plumber, request quotes from 2 or 3 different plumbers. Ensure that all of the quotes include exactly the same items. Plumbers often charge quite different rates for the same labor. Also be sure to get in writing the expected state of your property once the work is all done. Put another way, if a plumber does have to dig a trench in your property or make a mess, it should be understood whose job it is -- yours or theirs -- to get everything looking good again.
Whenever you request an estimate for a sewer repair, get an idea of whether it's likely more repairs will have to be made in the foreseeable future. Especially when it comes to older homes (or newer homes connecting to an older sewer pipeline), it may be worth paying for a total replacement project instead of piecemeal repairs, so that you won't have to deal with this same dilemma two years down the road. Many plumbing companies such as sewer repair contractor bellevue wa provide a warranty on sewer line replacement, some of them for as long as you own the home.