One of the more critical components of your Gainesville, GA home’s plumbing system actually stays hidden from plain sight. The sewer lines, responsible for carrying wastewater away from your home, provide a vital function in the way of sanitation. Due to the hidden nature of these lines, you probably give them little thought on a day-to-day basis.
However, when problems arise in the sewer lines, you face unsanitary conditions, foul smells, and expensive plumbing repair costs. For that reason, it’s essential to schedule regular sewer line inspections with professional plumbers.
Understanding Your Sewer System
When you flush the toilet or run water down the drain of your sink or tub, that waste travels through drainage pipes and exits your home via the sewer. The sewer system consists of several different lines that transport the waste. These lines sit underground and out of sight, making them easy to ignore and forget all about. In fact, without special equipment or invasive digging, you cannot see problems within the sewer system.
Why the Sewer Inspection Is So Complex
Although a series of pipes carrying waste may sound simple enough, this system is complex and requires special handling to keep it in healthy condition. For the reasons below, it’s best to let professionals handle your intricate sewer system.
Pipe Materials and Condition
Your sewer lines may contain different materials depending on the age of your home or the sewer system. Some of these materials become difficult to handle with care as they age. For example, clay pipes are prone to cracking and root infiltration. Handling these types of sewer lines without special care could result in sewer leaks and other damage. Cast iron pipes corrode with age and can collapse, leaving your system blocked. When you hire our professional plumbers, we consider the material and age of your sewer lines so that we can take all necessary precautions during the inspection.
Depth and Ease of Access
Sewer lines run underground, often several feet below the surface. Inspecting these lines without digging up your yard and damaging your property requires special tools and equipment. Our plumbers have special training in handling this equipment and have a deep understanding of infrastructure as well as local codes and regulations. This knowledge helps us carefully and skillfully inspect your sewer lines.
The Entire Interconnected System
A single sewer line leads to other lines within the system. In that system, you also have vents, traps, lateral lines, and connections to sewer lines on other properties. When inspecting your system, it’s not only crucial to spot leaks and damage to the individual lines. Our plumbers understand the complexity of the system and what damage can mean to other parts in order to form a comprehensive repair plan.
The Role of Professional Equipment
Our plumbers inspect your sewer lines using high-resolution sewer inspection cameras. These cameras attach to flexible rods that we insert into the sewer lines. We control these cameras remotely as we navigate them through the pipes. This allows us a full view of your sewer lines so that we can see what’s going on underground. These are some of the perks of camera inspections performed by our professional plumbers.
Accuracy
When we look at the sewer lines via live video from our cameras, we’re able to spot problems and take a closer look. This helps us identify blockages in the sewer lines and collect more information so that we can better handle them. It also allows us to see tree root intrusions and the exact location of the roots. We can also see damage to the pipes such as collapses, loose joints, and corrosion.
Non-Invasive Procedure
Using cameras, we can see inside your sewage pipes without digging holes in your yard. This helps us inspect and diagnose problems while avoiding damage to your property, the use of heavy equipment, and the costs of cleanup and restoration. We also avoid disturbing your garden, foundation, or driveway.
Transparency
When we use cameras to scope out your sewer lines, we can provide you with photo evidence of the problems inside the pipes. This helps give you reassurance that any repair work is necessary and helps you understand the extent of the issue we’re dealing with.
Don’t Risk Problems With DIY Inspections
As you’ve already learned, the sewer system is complex and hard to access. Attempting to inspect your sewer system without the help of a professional may be nearly impossible, but even if you do find a way, you face certain risks.
Improper Equipment Use
Using sewer inspection cameras requires special training and experience. If you lack them, you could use the equipment incorrectly and cause further damage to your sewer lines. Additionally, you could get the camera stuck, costing you a lot of money.
Improper Diagnosis
Even if you manage to safely and properly maneuver the camera through your sewer lines, you may not be able to interpret what you see through the lens. This means that you could miss signs of damage that require attention or unnecessarily make repairs.
Code Violations
All sewer line work must comply with local plumbing codes. This means that if you spot problems within the system, you’ll still likely need a professional plumber for repairs. Chances are, that plumber will insist on performing an inspection of their own before starting on the repair process. This means that completing a sewer line inspection on your own may just be a waste of time and effort.
Long-Term Benefits of Professional Sewer Inspections
Hiring a professional for sewer line inspection is more than just the right-now aspect of the service. With professional sewer line inspection, you enjoy several benefits that can serve you for years to come.
Prevention
Sewer line inspection helps us spot warning signs that can escalate into a disaster. Early signs of corrosion can lead to leaks in the system down the road. For example, when we see corrosion, we can make repairs now before the leaks happen.
Peace of Mind
Seeing that your sewer system is healthy and in optimal condition gives you peace of mind every time you flush. You can feel confident that waste and water move where they need to go to keep your home clean and sanitary.
Increased Property Value
Documentation of a passed sewer line inspection performed by a professional plumber can reassure prospective buyers when you try to sell your house. This shows responsible maintenance and prevents surprises during the buyer’s inspection process.
When Do You Need Professional Sewer Line Inspections?
Routine sewer line inspections help you stay ahead of problems. If you have an older home with sewer lines that haven’t been replaced, it’s a good idea to schedule inspections every one or two years. For newer homes or newer sewer lines, schedule inspections every five to 10 years. Additionally, there are some factors that may warrant an inspection now.
Sewer Backups
Frequently clogged drains and sewage backing up into your fixtures indicate a blockage in the sewer system and require immediate attention.
Sewage Odors in the House
If your bathroom reeks of sewage, you may have a leak that allows this odor to back up through the system and smell up your home.
Lush Patches of Grass
Unusually green and lush patches in your yard may signal a sewage leak. Sewage acts as a fertilizer and can promote greener, thicker grass, so call for sewer line repair if you notice this.
Large Trees
If you have large trees, there’s a chance the roots underground could grow and push into your sewer lines. If you’ve had tree root intrusions before, it’s important to keep a regular eye on the sewer lines near the tree’s roots.
Before Buying a New Home
Sewer line repairs can be costly. Always make sure to have sewer lines inspected before buying a new home.
Call the Pros for Sewer Line Inspections
Given the vital nature of healthy sewer lines, it’s best to avoid the risks of DIY work and call in professional plumbers for inspections. Ours are highly skilled to handle the special equipment needed. We have the knowledge and experience to spot problems and formulate a repair plan.
Trust our dedicated plumbers at BlueFlow All-Service Plumbing with your sewer line inspections, and we’ll make sure your Gainesville home stays sanitary with the waste flowing properly.
