Early damage detection is key to avoid costly replacement of sewer pipes

Sewer line replacement and repair is an emergency job no matter how small the problem may be. You cannot take chances with damaged and leaking sewer lines which might pose serious health problems besides creating a mess all around that makes the place stink. There may be different reasons why sewer lines might require repair or replacement. Pipes might crack owing to excessive pressure on it due to soil shifting either from natural causes or during construction. Sometimes, roots of trees penetrate deep inside the ground and damage sewer and drain pipes. Once you detect the damage, you must not lose time to repair or replace it, if necessary.

Causes of pipe damage

Poor material used for making sewer and drain pipes is another reason why it can get damaged quickly. Aging of pipes entrenched inside the ground can corrode over a long period both from inside and outside and would need replacement. Sometimes, changing landscape can cause pipes to become ‘bellied’ meaning pipes sink deeper into the ground. This results in squeezing the pipe that restricts the passage of water flow thereby creating blockages due to the accumulation of waste materials, sediments, and sludge.

Early damage detection

Blockages in sewer and drain pipes might be early signs of damage, and sometimes pipes get damaged during cleaning the inside when the cleaning snake dents in creating dents in the pipe. It is crucial to detect pipe damages early to avoid any bigger problem.  When pipes start leaking, it means that it is major damage, and you must try to identify the problem before the pipe leaks. It involves special inspection techniques by using suitable tools and equipment for which you must seek the services of professional plumbers like A1 Sewer & Drain Line Replacement Company.

The professional plumber uses a fiber-optic camera that reaches to the remote parts of the piping system and helps in evaluating the condition of the pipe to detect potential damages that can become dangerous if not repaired on time.

Drive away foul odor

Just as leaking sewer pipes can pose serious health hazards, any foul smell from drain and sewer lines can make life miserable. Sewer lines can spread foul odor caused by a combination of methane gas and bacteria produced in the sewer lines. Methane is a poisonous gas and inhaling it in large quantity can result in death. Professional plumbers can advice how to prevent foul odor by installing a vented p- trap with the sewer system. The trap is designed to trap water that forms a barrier between the sewer system and the outside environment thereby preventing the foul-smelling gas from escaping into the outside air.

Video inspection

Technology has made detection of pipe damages easy because plumbers make use of video inspection methods to detect the damaged portion of pipes and determine the extent of the damage. There is no need to dig the soil for detecting damage because the video technology allows viewing the inside of pipes without digging.

On knowing the kind of damage, the plumber can advise whether to repair the pipe or replace it.