Affton, MO Sewer line repairs used to mean digging up your whole yard and losing access to water for the duration of the repairs. But that's a thing of the past. At Drain Cleaning St. Louis, we utilize modern, discrete techniques such as pipe bursting and pipe lining to fix your plumbing without breaking your landscaping.

Our phone line is active 24/7, so as soon as you notice a problem, call us at (314) 972-2233 or get in touch online. Don't wait – call now to protect your Affton, MO home.

On this page, we'll teach you about:

We created this page to assist you with recognizing when your sewer line is broken, identifying the reason, and understanding what repairs will look like. If you're facing issues with your Affton, MO home's water, Drain Cleaning St. Louis offers plumbing services to help.

6 Affton, MOSewer Line Damage Signs to Watch Out For:

Some plumbing issues, like a leaking faucet, are easy to notice. Sewer line damage, however, is not, which makes them tricky to identify. On their own, the clues below could be a sign of another plumbing issue, but the more that add up, the more likely it is that your Affton, MO sewer line needs repairs:

  1. Odor/Smell - A persistent sewage smell, particularly in your backyard, is the most obvious sign of a broken sewer line. Don't inhale too deep: It can have negative health effects.
  2. Gurgling - If air is entering your home's plumbing through a damaged sewer line, gurgling can occur throughout the house.
  3. Slow Drain - If you're having trouble with multiple drains around your home not performing well, that is often a sign of a broken sewer line. This is especially the case if treating the individual drains doesn't seem to help.
  4. Green and/or Soggy Yard - Leaking water and sewage can create wet spots that fertilize the lawn, creating puddles and extra green patches of grass.
  5. Pests - Insects and rodents are attracted to broken sewer lines. They'll turn your yard into a breeding ground, and possibly crawl up the pipe into your home.
  6. Major Water Bill Fluctuation - Unexpected spikes in water bills can be the result of a broken sewer pipe, creating a flow of water that runs all month long.

Common Sewer Line Damage Causes:

The particulars of sewer line damage can be challenging to identify. There are a variety of ways that sewer lines can break in Affton, MO, but the most frequent are:

  • Wear and Tear - Over time, particularly if grease or cleaning chemicals have gone down your drains, the pipes will weaken and corrode. Ensuring that they're all regularly and properly cleaned helps extend their lifespan.
  • Blockages/Clogs - If the line becomes clogged, that can increase pressure and erosion, leading to cracks and bursts.
  • Tree Roots - Trees will naturally spread their roots where they can find nutrients and moisture, and find leaking sewer lines to be an excellent source of both. They typically are not the cause of the original break, but can make it worse.

If your sewer line was put in correctly and cleaned/maintained regularly, it shouldn't need repairs often. That said, when they are needed, they're often needed urgently. It's important for your plumber to use a method that is fast, effective, and minimizes disruptions to your life.

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How We Repair Affton, MO Sewer Lines

At Drain Cleaning St. Louis, we provide you with quality inspections and repairs to help identify and correct any issues with your home's plumbing. When our expert plumbers first arrive at your home, we'll consult with you to learn more about the situation and then inspect your pipes to find the root cause. We look at your lines using a top-of-the-line drain camera to check out your pipes from the inside, and can confirm if there is a clog, crack, or any other issue with your sewer line.

After we've inspected your sewer line and located a leak, our technicians will help you identify the best repair option for your home. If we can, we will avoid digging up your yard with one of the following trenchless sewer line repair methods:

  • Pipe Bursting - Pipe bursting features a new pipe, which is pulled through your old one, breaking the broken sewer line down and replacing it with a newer line in the process. If pipe bursting is realistic, this minimizes damage to your hard, since holes only need to be dug to feed the new pipe down to the existing one, rather than full trenches to lay it down.
  • Pipe Lining - We can also avoid digging up your lawn with pipe lining. With this method, you also pull a new pipe along the existing sewer line, but instead of breaking apart the old one, the new line just fits inside. The new pipe will be precisely fitted with the existing one, is secured with epoxy, and allows your sewer flow to continue past the break.
  • Sectional Pipe Point Repair - Sectional pipe point repair is closely related to pipe lining, since it also is designed around pulling a section of sealant or liner through the damaged sewer pipe. The main difference is that while pipe lining tends to cover a large section of the existing pipe, point repairs are specifically targeted at cracks and damaged areas.

Each of these methods lets us restore your home's plumbing, more rapidly without shutting down your water for as long. Sewer line repairs don't have to be a major hassle that disrupts your routine and wrecks your landscape. Today, you can get it done sooner and for less than ever before.

There are times where we can't use one of the above methods, but, we always check to see if a trenchless option is realistic. And regardless of the repair method, we retest your plumbing system after we're done, to ensure the new lining or pipe is fixing the problem we set out to solve.

Preventing Damage to Your Affton, MO Sewer Lines

For any sewer line, taking care of it will help extend its lifespan and reduce the need for repairs. Below are some tips to minimize wear and tear and prevent future damage to your sewer line:

  • Don't Discard Solids Down the Drain - And also don't send down oils and greases. Your entire plumbing system can suffer from blocks, increased wear, and corrosion, and sewer systems are extra vulnerable, as all the things you send down the drain eventually goes through it. Put solids in the trash or compost.
  • Avoid Chemical Drain Cleaners - Some chemical cleaners can be effective, but damaging to your pipes, leading to more damage over time. Others just worsen the clog. If there's a clog in one of your drains, one safe technique is to pour warm salt water down the drain, and if that doesn't remove the blockage, call a reputable Affton, MO plumber to handle the issue.
  • Manage Tree Roots - When planting or moving a tree around your landscape, check where the sewer lines run prior to picking the tree's new spot. You can also install root barriers around your pipes to block them from invading the pipe.
  • Get A Backflow Preventer - Depending on your specific property and plumbing system, it might be necessary to get a backflow preventer. This stops water from going backwards through the sewage line into your home's plumbing system. A lot of homes have plumbing systems that are built to prevent backflow automatically, but older systems, those with pools, or those using well water all may require backflow preventers.
  • Repair Other Issues Promptly - Clogs in one of your pipes lead to friction, which can increase wear and tear throughout the system. Fixing smaller issues promptly stops them from contributing to larger damage.
  • Regular Maintenance/Inspections - To protect your home's pipes, you can have a plumbing inspection every one to two years, or more often for older plumbing systems. A quick inspection helps you get ahead of issues before they happen, saving you money and time in the long run.
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Affton, MO Sewer Line Repair FAQs

Affton, MO homeowners in need of sewer line repairs have lots of questions. Check out our responses to some of the most common questions on sewer line repair:

Who is responsible for a broken sewer line?

Generally, the property owner is responsible for repairing broken sewer lines. Even for sections that are not on your property, until the pipe reaches the sewer main, it's most often the homeowner's responsibility to repair.

Does homeowners' insurance cover sewer line repairs?

This will depend on the specific policy and situation. Typically, home insurance will cover sewer line repairs if they result from a specific event, like extreme weather or a fire. However, wear and tear, tree roots, or poor maintenance are normally not covered.

Is a broken sewer pipe an emergency?

A broken sewer line is an emergency if it is leaking sewage into your yard or backflowing into your home's plumbing system. This is because of the potential adverse effects it can have on your health and well-being.

How long can a broken sewer line go undetected?

Smaller cracks and leaks can take weeks, months or even years to find out about, though they often get worse over time. Being aware of the key signs of damage and setting up regular maintenance is critical to finding leaks that were otherwise unnoticable.

What is the cheapest way to repair a sewer line?

If practical, a trenchless repair method (like pipe lining or pipe bursting) is the most affordable method to repair or replace a sewer line. Consult with a professional Affton, MO plumber to your sewer damage can be fixed through one of these methods.

Are sewer and water pipes the same?

Sewer pipes and water pipes are not the same — while they may be made of the same material, water pipes take clean water into your home, while sewer pipes carry out wastewater. Sewer lines tend to be made of sturdier material to handle the contaminants, and rely on gravity (as opposed to water pressure).



Get Your Sewer Line Repaired Today - Call Drain Cleaning St. Louis

If you suspect there's a leak in your sewer line, or you need an expert to evaluate your home's plumbing, Drain Cleaning St. Louis is here to help you. We offer:

  • Experienced Plumbing Specialists - We have over a decade of experience plumbing in Affton, MO, and our team knows how to handle any plumbing issues.
  • Emergency Plumbing Response - If a pipe is gushing water or there's sewage coming out of your sink, we're there to help right away.
  • 24/7 Availability - If your pipe bursts in the middle of the night, no problem. We're ready to help any time of day.
  • Wide Range of Services Available - Whatever is going on with your home's pipes, we can help with all of your plumbing needs.

We also offer these services in Affton, MO:

Fix your sewer line damage before it causes further damage. For Affton, MO sewer line repairs, call Drain Cleaning St. Louis now at (314) 972-2233 or reach out online. We're ready for your call, no matter when it comes in.

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