St. Louis, MO Sewer line repairs previously meant digging up your whole yard and having your water shut off for hours or days. But not anymore. At Drain Cleaning St. Louis, we use new, unintrusive methods such as 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 reach out online. Fix it early and prevent further damage to your St. Louis, MO home.

On this page, we'll discuss:

This guide exists to assist you with noticing clues that point to a broken sewer line, finding the cause, and understanding what repairs will look like. Whatever water or sewer issues you're facing, Drain Cleaning St. Louis offers plumbing services to help.

6 St. Louis, MOSewer Line Damage Signs to Watch Out For:

Sewer line damage isn't always as immediately visible as other plumbing issues, which makes potentially hard to notice. On their own, the clues below could be a sign of another plumbing issue, but if you're noticing several of them, especially at the same time, your St. Louis, MO home likely needs sewer line repairs:

  1. Odor/Smell - A nasty odor that never seems to go away, especially in your backyard, is the clearest indicator that your sewer line is broken. Avoid inhaling these smells, since they 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 - Leaking water and sewage can create wet spots that fertilize the lawn, creating puddles and extra green patches of grass.
  5. Pests - The stench of leaking sewage will attract pests, such as rats, mice, and bugs. 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 - If your water bills fluctuate, particularly if they are trending upward, it could be the result of a broken sewer line, 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. St. Louis, 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 - If the line becomes clogged, that can increase pressure and erosion, leading to cracks and bursts.
  • 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. 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 St. Louis, MO Sewer Lines

At Drain Cleaning St. Louis, we handle all kinds of plumbing repairs as well as cleanings. After arriving at your property, we'll check in with you to understand the issue and then inspect your pipes to find the root cause. We check for leaks using a top-of-the-line drain camera to view all of your home's plumbing, and can confirm if there is a leak in your sewer line.

After we've identified a broken sewer line, our technicians use the best repair method available for the circumstances. If possible, we will avoid excavating your lawn 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. 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 - Similar to pipe bursting, this also works with the existing pipes to minimize disruptions. 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 affixed with epoxy, and circumvents the leaks and keeps your sewage flowing.
  • Sectional Pipe Point Repair - Sectional pipe point repair functions in a similar way to pipe lining, because it also is designed around pulling a liner pipe through the existing pipe. The main difference is that while pipe lining tends to cover a large section of the existing pipe, point repairs only cover a smaller section with the leak.

The techniques above lets us repair your sewer line, faster with fewer disruptions. Sewer line repairs don't have to be a major hassle that pauses your life and destroys your lawn. Now, it can be done quicker and cheaper than ever before.

Not every break or crack will work with these techniques, we always check to see if a trenchless option is appropriate. And regardless of the repair method, we double-check everything by testing your new pipes at the end of the process, to verify that your house's plumbing is functioning properly now.

Preventing Damage to Your St. Louis, MO Sewer Lines

To get the longest life out of your sewer line, you'll want to take proper care of it. There are some simple steps you can take to protect your sewer line from wear and prevent the need for future repairs:

  • Don't Discard Solids Down the Drain - The same goes for oils and greases. They can pile up and create blockages, which damage the pipes all through your house, and they are particularly rough on your sewer system, because everything 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 can actually solidify in your pipes, creating new blockages. If you think one of your pipes is blocked, one safe technique is to pour warm salt water down the drain, and if that doesn't fix it, call a reputable St. Louis, MO plumber to clear out the problem.
  • Manage Tree Roots - When 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 - Depending on your specific property and plumbing system, it might be necessary to get a backflow preventer. This device 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 benefit greatly from backflow preventers.
  • Repair Other Issues Promptly - Smaller problems can easily snowball into larger ones, as issues like blocks can affect the water's flow and friction. Getting them fixed right away stops them from causing unseen damage over time
  • 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 can identify problems that may not have been visible to the naked eye, protecting your home and wallet in the long run.
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St. Louis, MO Sewer Line Repair FAQs

St. Louis, MO homeowners in need of sewer line repairs have lots of questions. Below, we've written an overview of answers to some of the most popular questions:

Who is responsible for a broken sewer line?

If your property's sewer line is broken, it's normally your responsibility to repair it. Even for sections that are not on your property, until the pipe reaches the sewer main, it's often the homeowner's responsibility to repair.

Does homeowners' insurance cover sewer line repairs?

Home insurance policies are all different, so you'll want to check what your specific coverage is. Normally, event-based damage (such as from a fire) will be covered, while wear-and-tear damage is not.

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. Paying attention to the key signs of damage and ensuring you have your plumbing inspected regularly is critical to finding leaks that were otherwise unnoticable.

What is the cheapest way to repair a sewer line?

If available, 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 St. Louis, MO plumber to find out if one of these options is right for your property.

Are sewer and water pipes the same?

Sewer pipes and water pipes are not the same — they may look the same, but their function is different; water pipes take clean water into your home, while sewer pipes carry out wastewater. Sewer lines frequently are made of sturdier material to to prevent corrosion, 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're not sure and need to set up an inspection, Drain Cleaning St. Louis is proud to be your partner. When you work with us, you're getting:

  • Experienced Plumbing Specialists - We have over a decade of experience plumbing in St. Louis, MO, and our team is ready for any plumbing problem, even the unexpected.
  • Emergency Plumbing Response - For major pipe bursts or sewer line breaks, we act fast to fix your home's plumbing problems.
  • 24/7 Availability - Because issues can arise at any time, we're ready to fix them right away.
  • Wide Range of Services Available - We don't just repair sewer lines - we can help with all of your plumbing needs.

We also offer these services in St. Louis, MO:

Don't let broken pipes damage your health or home. For St. Louis, MO sewer line repairs, call Drain Cleaning St. Louis today at (314) 972-2233 or reach out online. We're ready for your call, no matter when it comes in.

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