Your sewer line is a hugely important part of your home’s plumbing system.
Your sewer line is a hugely important part of your home’s plumbing system, but unless you’ve had a problem with it before, you’d probably don’t think much about it. That’s because when it is working correctly, everything simply flows. When it’s not, however, it becomes a really mess, literally. Read on for some preliminary information about sewer lines, including what you need to know and look out for to detect an issue early.
Characteristics Of The Sewer Lines
How old is your home? The sewer line may be the same age. If your home was built more than 50 years ago, the sewer line if likely iron, or if it was built between then and before 1980, your sewer line is likely made of clay. Both of these materials will break down over time (yes, even the iron).
Characteristics Of The Land
Soil composition can impact the life of a sewer line. Sandy soil is great for sewers, but clay soils have high chloride content and will eat away at the sewer pipe from the outside. Other aspects of the land, especially tree location can also spell disaster for sewers. Mature trees near sewer lines are a problem, since the roots will seek out the lines.
Financial Realities
Sewer line problems are tricky beasts. First, the portion of the sewer line that is on your property is considered part of your home’s plumbing, even though it is outside your home. Sure, you didn’t get to install it or make any choices about it, but if it bursts on your side of the property line, replacing it is your responsibility. The other tricky part is that it likely will not be covered by your home owners insurance. There are companies that provide specific insurance for sewer lines, so you can check with your home owners insurance company to see if that is something you can add. But you should also be vigilant about looking for warning signs of an issue and get to it before it becomes a huge problem.
Warning Signs To Look For in Your Sewer Lines
If your fixtures have trouble draining, especially if multiple fixtures are in different areas of the home (like the upstairs toilet and the bathroom shower and the kitchen sink) all back up at the same time, that is a huge sign of a sewer line problem. If your sinks gurgle when draining, or one fixture gurgles while another is draining, that is another sign. You should have a professional come out to inspect your plumbing as soon as possible.
A RESIDENTIAL & COMMERCIAL PLUMBING COMPANY YOU CAN TRUST
Alpha Plumbing is a full-service plumbing and contracting company serving the Baltimore and Annapolis metro area with expertise in all aspects of plumbing. We’re family-owned and operated since 1991 from our office in Pasadena. We offer quality plumbing services at reasonable rates in a timely fashion. Our trucks are equipped with GPS systems to ensure we’re prompt and on time. No job is too large or too small! We maintain a fleet of well-stocked trucks and also own and operate our own backhoes for jobs requiring excavation.
For more information and to get a free no-obligation estimate, you can contact us on our website, send us an e-mail, or give us a call at (410) 255-5998.