Olivette, MO Sewer line repairs used to mean digging up your whole yard and having your water shut off for hours or days. But that's a thing of the past. At Drain Cleaning St. Louis, we utilize modern, discrete techniques like pipe bursting and pipe lining to minimize your water's downtime and the impact on your lawn.

Our technicians are available 24/7, so as soon as you notice a problem, call us at (314) 972-2233 or get in touch online. We're ready today to help your Olivette, MO home.

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We created this page to assist you with noticing clues that point to a broken sewer line, finding the reason, and understand repair methods that may apply to your home. Regardless of the type, size, and location of the problem, Drain Cleaning St. Louis offers plumbing services to help.

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

Sewer line damage isn't always as immediately visible as other plumbing issues, which makes it all the more important to know what to look for. Individually, none of the the below indicators guarantees that you have a broken sewer line., but the more that add up, the more likely it is that your Olivette, 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. Breathing it excessively can have negative health effects.
  2. Gurgling - If you're hearing bubbles and gurgling in multiple spots in your home, it's possible air is getting into your pipes through a crack in your sewer line.
  3. Slow Drain - When your home's drains don't flow well, even after cleaning them out, it could be that the root cause is a deeper sewer line break.
  4. Green and/or Soggy Yard - If your backyard has strange wet spots that never seem to go away, or odd patterns of greener grass, that can be a sign that your sewer line is leaking into the yard, creating puddles and fertilizing the grass.
  5. Pests - Leaking sewer lines drawn in pests like insects and rodents. They can both live in the damp parts of the yard, and will explore the area, and potentially go up the sewage pipe into your house.
  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:

Maybe you suspect that your sewer line is damaged, but you're not sure how it happened. Olivette, MO sewer lines can crack in many ways, but the most likely ones 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 - Blockages in the line exacerbate other issues, as well as increasing corrosion and pressure in the line, eventually causing cracks to develop.
  • Tree Roots - Sewage leaking from a break provides sustenance to plants like trees, which will grow roots in the area to capitalize on the available nutrients. It's unlikely that they will cause a leak in the first place, but can aggravate the issue.

With proper installation and maintenance, sewer line repairs should not be frequently required. When they are needed, though, choosing the right repair method is important to minimize the cost and impact on your day-to-day life.

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How We Repair Olivette, MO Sewer Lines

At Drain Cleaning St. Louis, we cover all your home's plumbing and sewer line repair needs. When our expert plumbers first arrive at your home, we'll check in with you to understand the issue and then conduct an inspection to identify the problem. 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 leak in your sewer line.

After we've found a break in a sewer line, our technicians use the best repair method available for the circumstances. If reasonable, we will avoid any excessive impact on your landscaping with one of the following trenchless sewer line repair methods:

  • Pipe Bursting - If we use pipe bursting, a new pipe will be pulled through your old one, breaking the former sewer line apart and replacing it with a new one, right in the same place. By using the existing line as a guide, this replacement method doesn't require trenches to be dug in your yard.
  • 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, will be glued in place with epoxy, and gets your sewage flowing past the breaks in the old line.
  • Sectional Pipe Point Repair - Sectional pipe point repair is closely related to pipe lining, because it also is based around pulling a liner pipe through the damaged sewer pipe. The main difference is that pipe lining involves extensive relining, covering a large portion of the existing pipe, while point repairs only cover a smaller section with the leak.

Using pipe bursting, pipe lining, and sectional repair methods helps us mend your pipes, quicker with fewer disruptions. Sewer line repairs aren't still a week-long project that disrupts your routine and wrecks your landscape. Now, it can be done quicker and cheaper than ever before.

While some sewer lines will need more conventional replacement or repair methods, we always check to see if a trenchless option is appropriate. And however we conduct your repairs, we double-check everything by testing your new pipes at the end of the process, to be certain the new lining or pipe is no longer leaking like the old one.

Preventing Damage to Your Olivette, MO Sewer Lines

Regardless of whether it's brand new or recently repaired, proper care is important for your sewer line. We've written out some advice you can use to If you're wondering what you can do to protect your home's sewer line, we've got some tips:

  • Don't Discard Solids Down the Drain - Likewise for oils and greases. These are common sources of clogs, friction, and other damage to your whole home's plumbing system, and your sewer pipes are almost guaranteed to be affected, because anything discarded into your drains 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 in the process. Others don't even clean the pipes, and just harden, creating new blocks. If you have a blockage, one safe technique is to pour warm salt water down the drain, and if that doesn't get of the clog, call a reputable Olivette, MO plumber to take care of the problem.
  • Manage Tree Roots - Any time you're planting or moving a tree around your landscape, check where the sewer lines run before deciding on its new location. You can also install root barriers around your pipes to block them from invading the pipe.
  • Get A Backflow Preventer - Backflow preventers are not necessary for every home, but can be for some older homes, or homes with pools or irrigation systems. This stops water from going backwards through the sewage line into your home's plumbing system. It's possible your home will already have a natural backflow prevention built into the plumbing system's design, but older systems, those with pools, or those using well water all may require backflow preventers.
  • Repair Other Issues Promptly - A simple clog in your pipes isn't the end of the world, but it's not something you should delay. Increased pressure, friction, and corrosion are all contributors to larger problems, which you can help prevent by taking care of clogs without delay.
  • Regular Maintenance/Inspections - Most houses benefit from having their pipes inspected every one to two years, or more often for older plumbing systems. A quick inspection stops major problems before they happen, protecting your home and wallet in the long run.
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Olivette, MO Sewer Line Repair FAQs

Olivette, MO homeowners want to know more about sewer line maintenance, whether yours is new, damaged, or recently repaired. Below, we've written an overview of answers to some of the most popular questions:

Who is responsible for a broken sewer line?

Generally, the property owner is responsible for repairing broken sewer lines. Sewer lines can extend off of your property, but even from those parts, until the pipe reaches the sewer main, it's probably the homeowner's responsibility to repair.

Does homeowners' insurance cover sewer line repairs?

While it varies from policy to policy, there is a general rule of thumb: If the damage resulted from a specific event (for example, a storm), insurance will likely cover it. If it happened over time because of poor maintenance, you're probably going to have to pay out of pocket.

Is a broken sewer pipe an emergency?

When a broken sewer line is letting sewage out into your grass, or if the sewage is backflowing into your home, that is an emergency and you need to call a plumber right away. Letting it continue can be hazardous to your health and well-being.

How long can a broken sewer line go undetected?

Sewer line breaks can go undetected for long periods of time - for smaller leaks, it can take months, or even years, to notice. Watching out for the key signs of damage and ensuring you have your plumbing inspected regularly is critical to catching it before it slips through the cracks.

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 Olivette, MO plumber to your sewer damage can be fixed through one of these methods.

Are sewer and water pipes the same?

No, they are different — They are often constructed out of similar materials, but water pipes take clean water into your home, while sewer pipes carry out wastewater. Sewer lines are often 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 something is wrong with your sewer line, or you need an expert to evaluate your home's plumbing, Drain Cleaning St. Louis has got your back. We offer:

  • Experienced Plumbing Specialists - We have over a decade of experience plumbing in Olivette, MO, and our team is ready for any plumbing problem, even the unexpected.
  • Emergency Plumbing Response - We respond to plumbing emergencies as soon as possible to stop them from throwing off your life.
  • 24/7 Availability - Because issues can arise at any time, we're ready to fix them right away.
  • 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 Olivette, MO:

Fix your sewer line damage before it causes further damage. For Olivette, MO sewer line repairs, call Drain Cleaning St. Louis now at (314) 972-2233 or reach out online. Our sewer line repair services are always available, any time of day or night.

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