Broken Sewer Pipes
.jpg "Sammamish Washington Before and After Septic to Sewer Conversion")
Repairing a broken sewer line can be a quick fix or an extensive project, depending on the location and severity of the problem.
How do I tell if my sewer line is broken?
1. Foul odors. A consistent bad smell around your home, especially near drains or in the yard may indicate a broken sewer.2. Slow drains or backups. Slow drainage could mean a pipe is blocked or broken. 3. Sewage backups. The most obvious symptom for sewer issues is when sewage is coming back up into the house. 4. Soggy or sunken areas. When a pipe outside of the house is leaking, the ground may be saturated, resulting in soggy or sunken areas.5. Cracks or sinkholes. When pipes leak under concrete or asphalt, cracks or sinkholes may occur.
Steps to fix a broken sewer line:
1. Find the problem. To minimize the amount of excavation, a camera is pushed down the nearest cleanout to find the exact location of the failure in the pipe. If no cleanouts are available, the location will be approximated using locates and visual indicators.
2. Locate existing utilities. Existing utilities are located to ensure that no damage is done to other utilities during the excavation process. 3. Excavate. Once a location has been determined it’s time to excavate the pipe. Depending on the location of the problem, excavation may require a concrete cut (see photo 2), traffic control, ditch shoring, and/or a vactor truck. 4. Repair damaged pipe. If the existing line (besides the broken area) is in good condition, only the damaged area of pipe will be cut out and replaced with a new section of pipe (see photo 1). If the existing pipe is old and cracked, it’s recommended that the entire line be replaced or updated.
5. City Inspection. An inspector from the city inspects the repair to verify the repair has been done correctly. 6. Back fill and patch. Once the sewer pipe has been repaired the ditch is backfilled using crushed rock and existing material. If part of the excavation took place in a road, that area is patched with asphalt (see photo 3). 7. Clean Up: Cascade Utilities strives to leave every work site free of construction debris. This means the removal of cut pipes and other construction related trash, voids filled and graded, and organic and dirt spoils ready for disposal.
.jpg "Photo 2 concrete cut and removal")
.jpg "Photo 3 repaving road")
What causes sewer lines to fail?
1. Old pipes. Old homes have old pipes. Over time as the ground settles or moves, the pipes can experience additional pressure and can break. The material of the pipes also weakens over time. 2. New construction. Installation of new pipes around older pipes may result in problems if the new construction is not done carefully. The compaction below the older pipes may become compromised when holes for the new pipes are dug. Excavators used to install the new pipes may also damage old pipes. 3. Roots. Given enough time, tree roots can find their way into sewer pipes through the fittings and cause blockages. 4. Improper initial installation. If the initial installation of the sewer pipe was not at a steep enough angle the system may experience backups. Additionally, if the pipe was not properly compacted or bedded the pipes are going to shift over time, leading to changes in slope or breaks.
If you are having any of these issues, give us a call so we can help you assess and discuss options.