Sewer Line Broken? Know What Will Happen To Fix It
Posted on: 18 August 2022
Do you have a sewer line beneath your yard that has broken? If so, you are going to need professional drain excavation in order to fix it. This involves digging up your yard to access the pipe so that a new one can be put in its place. Here is what you can expect to happen if you need to replace a sewer line.
Line Marking
You'll need to have your city come out to your home and mark any underground lines that may be around the sewer line. Calling before you start digging is crucial since you do not know what else could be down there that you are not aware of. This is a free service that your city should provide for your safety.
Inspection
The process starts by inspecting the pipe to figure out where it is damaged. A camera can be put into the pipe to determine the point where it has collapsed. The location of the camera can be found above ground to mark the location of the pipe to determine exactly where it is underground. The inspection can also give a general idea of what to expect. If the pipe has completely collapsed, it can give a good indication of how easy or difficult the repair will be.
Excavation
The extent of excavation that's necessary will really depend on what is above the pipe and how deep it is. It is likely that digging equipment will be used to quickly dig out the ground. If the pipe is only beneath dirt, then it will be fairly easy to reach. If the pipe is underneath a concrete patio or a sidewalk, then more extensive excavation will need to be done.
You may be surprised at how far down into the ground the pipe needs to be excavated. To get a good idea, look at where the main sewer line exits your home. That is about how far down the ground will need to be excavated to reach the pipe.
Replacement
Chances are that you have old clay drain tiles that have collapsed. A new PVC pipe will be put in place of the clay drain tile to ensure that the pipe does not collapse again. Ideally, the entire clay pipe should be replaced. If that is not possible, you can join a PVC pipe to a clay pipe using a special adapter that clamps around both sections of the pipe.
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