Buried outside, residential sewer lines don't often get the level of maintenance they deserve. Yet, they perform the important job of carrying all wastewater and sewage exiting a home from the various drains connected to the building.
If you want to keep your home's main sewer line working properly at all times, it is important to have it cleaned regularly. Aside from that, you will also need to perform periodic sewer line inspections to keep tabs on the condition of the sewer pipes. These inspections can help discover problems that may cause clogging but also a failure of sewer lines.
Some of the common issues revealed during sewer line inspections include:
Ageing Sewer Pipes
Nothing lasts forever, and your sewer pipes are no exception. The good news is that most pipe materials can last for decades. The bad news is that sewer pipes tend to deteriorate as years go by and are more likely to fail towards the end of their life cycle.
Sewer line inspections help assess the amount of wear and tear your sewer pipes suffers from years of continued use. If you misuse or overload your home's plumbing system, you may accelerate the rate of wear and tear and require re-piping sooner than you had expected.
Tree Root Intrusion
Large trees with extensive root systems are a leading cause of sewer line damage. Tree roots can breach even the toughest pipe material to seek out a water source, and sewer lines are such soft targets for water-seeking trees because they are a good source of water and nutrients.
If you have big trees growing in your yard or on the adjacent property, periodic sewer line inspections can help determine if tree roots have breached your sewer pipes. If tree roots are found to have grown into your pipes, you may have to down the water-seeking trees causing the problem before fixing the damage. Tree roots growing too close to your pipes will also need to be felled.
Pipe Settlement
If the soil around the area where your sewer line is laid shifts due to natural forces, such as heavy rain, drought or earthquakes, your pipe joints may become dislocated, causing sewage to leak into your yard. Performing periodic sewer line inspections can help detect and remedy pipe settlement early.
Sewer piping is expensive to install or replace. Having periodic sewer line inspections carried out by a plumber will help in early identification of potential threats to your home sewer line and allow timely intervention. So, you shouldn't skimp on these inspections.
