Even the strongest sewer pipeline doesn't remain intact forever. Roots work their way in, drastic dramatic seasonal changes burst pipes, and overall wear and tear weakens the integrity of older materials. Chances are your house will stay standing longer than the lifetime of your sewer pipeline, and that means at some juncture you will need to hire a professional.
Cast iron was previously the gold standard in plumbing pipes, including the lateral sewer line, which drains from your home into the sewer main. When this pipe ruptures, often the best action is to replace the iron with new ABS pipe that will not face the same risk in the future.
Another contemporary sewer pipeline replacement technique is called trenchless plumbing. This technique makes it possible to fix the sewer pipeline without tearing up your lawn. One variety of trenchless sewer pipeline repair is called the "bursting method": Laborers will pull a new pipe through the existing, ruptured pipe. This further expands the existing pipe to make room for the replacement.
A second trenchless sewer line repair approach is the "lining method." Using this approach, contracters will place a flexible tube through the existing sewer pipeline and inflate it. This lining will then make any breaks in the existing pipe totally moot. Furthermore, the lining can easily be taken out and fixed (or replaced) if needed.
Even with trenchless sewer pipeline repair, it is possible for invasive roots to repeat their damage. In addition to repairing the desctruction in the pipeline, contracters may consider impeding root growth toward the sewer pipe for any nearby heavy foliage.
The cost of sewer pipeline repair drastically changes depending on the contracter doing the work and how much work there is to do. Some sewer lines run beneath garages, driveways, or landscaping. Especially under such conditions, trenchless replacement can be a very desirable alternative. When choosing a plumber, get estimates from at least 2 different bidders. Check that all of the estimates include all of the same work. Contractors often charge significantly different costs for the same parts. Also be sure to get in writing the agreed-upon state of your property once the work is finished. Put another way, if a plumber does have to dig through your lawn or make a mess, it should be understood whose responsibility it is -- yours or theirs -- to clean it up.
Any time you get a price quote for a sewer fix, get an idea of whether it's likely more fixes will have to be made in the foreseeable future. Especially under older homes (or newer homes connecting to an older sewer pipe), it could be worth shelling out for an entire replacement project instead of little fixes, so that you won't have to stomach a similar crisis six months from now. Many plumbing contracters such as sewer repair bellevue wa provide a warranty on sewer pipeline replacement, some of them for as long as you own the home.