When Do Sewer Lines Need Replacement From A Plumbing Company? | Bedford, TX

Most people do not give their sewer lines a second thought in Bedford, TX. Yet your sewer line is tied to many other plumbing systems in your home, and when your sewer line breaks, bursts, leaks, or malfunctions it can cause havoc with these other systems in your home. A leaking sewer line can be an expensive project to repair if left unattended for too long. We will discuss the various problems that can occur with your sewer line, as well as the signs that it is time for sewer line replacement with your local plumbing company. A leaking or collapsed sewer line will affect your entire home’s plumbing system so it is not something that should be ignored or taken lightly, it should be addressed as soon as possible by your local plumbing professionals.

What is your home’s sewer line?

Your sewer line is a long pipe leading from your home to your sewer system. This pipe is sloped downward to allow the flow of wastewater and waste material to enter the sewer. The slope of your sewer line is the most critical aspect of your sewer line, without the proper slope, your wastewater will not enter the sewer correctly. The sewer pipe typically starts where your home’s main drain exits your home’s foundation. The sewer line is typically four to six inches in diameter. One might think that a bigger sewer line is a better sewer line but this is not always the case. You want to have the correct size for your plumbing system to ensure that wastewater is quick to flow away from your home. If you have problems with your sewer line it is not an issue you want to try and fix yourself, unless you have extensive plumbing experience. When in doubt, hire the services of a plumbing professional.

Does Homeowners Insurance Cover Sewer Lines?

Standard homeowner’s insurance tends not to cover the cost of a plumbing company performing sewer line repairs unless the part of the broken sewer line which is located on your property has been damaged by something sudden and unexpected. Most sewer line problems are due to things that are not covered under a standard homeowner’s insurance policy such as sewage backup, old age, or damage due to a chronic issue with your sewer line. If your sewer line backs up into your home or the sewer line damage was preventable you will not be covered for the services provided by a plumbing company. Standard homeowner’s insurance will not cover sewer line damage due to earthquakes, floods, pests, and tree roots. A sewage backup is also not covered, nor are any personal belongings that are damaged by raw sewage spilling into your home. You can call your insurance company to see if they offer sewage backup endorsement and a service line protection endorsement for your home, however, which would cover many of the things standard homeowner’s insurance does not cover.

When do sewer lines need replacement from a plumbing company?

Every sewer line’s lifetime depends on the material it is made out of. Cast iron pipes have a life span ranging from 75 to 100 years, clay pipes last up to 100 years and orangeburg pipes can last up to 50 years. The longest-lasting sewer line pipes are PVC which can last 100 years or longer. These life spans do not account for the damage done to the pipe, for example, clay pipes are prone to root damage. You will have to replace your sewer line if tree roots have penetrated the sewer line. Tree roots spread outwards when looking for water and can breach your sewer line when doing so. In rare cases due to soil conditions or erosion your sewer lines can collapse, if this happens it is time to call your Bedford, TX plumbing company. Another problem found with homes is when the sewer line has developed cracks and leaks. Lastly, extensive clogging can cause a sewer line to burst due to increased water pressure that happens when a sewer line has a severe clog. If you have any of these sewer line problems with your home it is time to call your local plumbing company for sewer line replacement.

What are the signs that you might need a sewer line replacement?

Since sewer lines are buried deep underground, it can be quite hard to determine when your sewer line needs to be replaced by a plumbing company, you can’t see any damage with the naked eye after all. Knowing when a problem has developed is the key to knowing when your home needs a new sewer line. Knowing the signs can help indicate to you when you need to make that call to your local plumbing professionals. One of the signs is having a consistently soggy yard. When a sewer line breaks or is leaking, the raw sewage has to go somewhere including seeping into the surrounding soil. One negative aspect of this warning sign is that it contaminates your soil with raw sewage. Another key warning sign that you need to call your local Bedford, TX plumbing company is when you start to smell sewage smells in your yard or worse yet coming from your drains. The last sign to look out for is slow draining drains. If your drains are draining way too slow you may have a leak or a clog in your sewer line. Each of your drains is connected to the sewer line so if all of your drains are draining slowly it might be time to call the plumbing company for sewer line replacement. While sewer line replacement is not cheap it may need to be done to secure your home’s plumbing system. If in doubt about whether or not you need sewer line replacement call the experts at Tioga Plumbing & Electric and they can remotely inspect your sewer line to check for damage.

If you have any of the warning signs of sewer line damage do not hesitate to call the experts at Tioga Plumbing & Electric. We are open 24 hours a day to take your call and we even offer emergency service. If you have any sewer line questions do not hesitate to call Tioga Plumbing & Electric.

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