Brooks Plumbing Co. Blog: Posts Tagged ‘Sewer Replacement’

Trenchless Technology Makes Sewer Repairs Easy

Monday, March 14th, 2016

A sewer line repair used to be among the most complex and expensive plumbing projects your home could experience. The damage itself isn’t all that different from any other pipe in your plumbing system. But the sewer line is buried under your yard, which makes getting to it a supreme hassle. In the past, it meant renting expensive construction equipment to unearth the pipe – an operation taking days and necessitating the hiring of extra help – then fixing the problem and recovering it. Even when it was all done, it left your yard in shambles (requiring more money spent on landscaping to fix it), and if the rains start to fall here in DuPont, WA, it could delay the process even further.

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Signs of a Problem with Your Sewer Pipe

Monday, August 17th, 2015

The sewer pipe can be one of the most problematic parts of your plumbing, largely because it’s buried underground and takes a great deal of effort to reach. Add to that Olympia, WA’s traditionally wet weather and resolving an issue with the pipe can be quite tricky. The good news is that trained plumbers can use modern technology such as video pipe inspection to help resolve the issue with speed and efficiency. But before we can do our job, you need to be able to spot signs of a problem with your sewer pipe and respond appropriately. Here’s a short list of common symptoms which you should look out for.

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How Do Plumbers Conduct Sewer Line Inspections?

Monday, May 18th, 2015

Inspecting a sewer line used to be a serious operation, involving heavy equipment, burly construction teams and your front yard transformed into a muddy pit. Considering our wet weather in Olympia, WA, the process becomes all the messier whenever the next rainstorm rolls in. But those days are long gone. Thanks to advancements in technology, plumbers can conduct sewer line inspections cleanly and efficiently, and determine the problem with your line without having to excavate it. How do they do it? Techniques vary, but the basics come down to one factor: video cameras.

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Common Signs that You Need Sewer Line Replacement

Wednesday, September 25th, 2013

When sewer lines rupture, they can wreak havoc in your household, and while no one likes to consider the costs involved in sewer line replacement, they’re absolutely necessary in order to retain the health and safety of your home. In Olympia, WA, plumbing replacement can be compounded by inclement weather, which means reliable sewer line replacement should take place as quickly and efficiently as you can manage. Here are some common signs that you need sewer line replacement:

  • Signs in the yard. Sewer lines tend to run through your yard on the way to the civic sewer system beneath the street. (Olympia’s STEP sewer system means there may be a visible holding tank lid in your yard to indicate the line’s location.) If the sewer line ruptures, you may spot a wet patch in your yard where no other wet patch can be found. Or the grass and vegetation around the leak may suddenly look greener and healthier than the plant life around it.
  • Smells. Nothing says “ruptured sewer line” more than a ripe, unpleasant scent. You might notice it in your yard around the sewer line, or it may come from drains in your house, such as the sink or toilet. Either way, it probably suggests a breach or a rupture in the sewer line.
  • Drain problems. A blockage in the sewer line could result in your drains backing up, or the water levels refusing to go down the way they should. You may also detect variations in the water levels in your toilet bowl after you flush, or see bubbles rising from the toilet bowl for no apparent reason.

Regardless of the cause of the sewer line problems, you want a qualified plumbing professional to provide sewer line replacement services in Olympia. At Brooks Plumbing, we address the issue with the latest in high technology. Remote video cameras help us pinpoint the exact problem and instigate repairs with speed and efficiency. We are available 24 hours a day for emergencies, and our staff is experienced in handling the rains and wet weather associated with Olympia, WA. Plumbing replacement services need to act with professionalism and care. Call us today and let us show you what a difference that can make.

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Sewer Repair FAQ: What Causes Sewer Lines to Break?

Monday, November 26th, 2012

Roots from trees and plants are the most frequent cause of sewer line damage in the Tumwater area. Plant roots may seem harmless, but as they slowly grow beneath the soil they can work their way into any crack or fissure in their path. The juncture of two sewer pipes, particularly older pipes that may have settled and separated a bit, are particularly susceptible to root invasion.

When tiny, sensitive root tips work their way into a microscopic fissure in a pipe, they begin to grow and expand, gradually opening the fissure.  Over months and years, the pressure from a growing root can create a large crack in a sewer pipe. The root itself can thicken inside the pipe, slowly choking it off.

Other less frequent causes of sewer line breaks are settling of the ground, nearby construction, or incorrect installation. Any of those things can cause a sewer pipe to slowly crack open or fracture at a joint.

Trenchless Sewer Line Replacement

Fortunately, broken sewer lines no longer need to be a catastrophic event to area homeowners. Brooks Plumbing now provides leading edge video technology to quickly locate the source of the break, and trenchless technology to replace the line.

Trenchless sewer line replacement means that Brooks Plumbing’s expert staff does not have to dig a long, deep slit trench across your property to expose the damaged sewer line. Instead, we make a small hole and excavate horizontally beneath the surface of your property. There’s no disruption of your lawn or landscaping, and no drilling of walks and driveways.

Trenchless technology uses the same technique successfully developed for laying pipelines and cables beneath the surface in large tracts of land where excavating a trench would not be possible. It is a time-tested technique that is efficient and less expensive than traditional ditch digging and back filling. If you need to replace the sewer line on your property, call Brooks Plumbing. Our professional staff have years of experience repairing sewer lines in the Woolwich Township area. When a sewer line breaks, you need a safe, fast, honest solution. Call Brooks Plumbing today.

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