Webster Groves, MO Sewer line repairs used to mean tearing up your landscaping and having your water shut off for hours or days. But now, that's in the past. At Drain Cleaning St. Louis, we use new, unintrusive methods including pipe bursting and pipe lining to minimize your water's downtime and the impact on your lawn.

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

On this page, we'll discuss:

On this page, you'll learn skills to help you with noticing clues that point to a broken sewer line, identifying the reason, and understand repair methods that may apply to your home. If you're facing issues with your Webster Groves, MO home's water, Drain Cleaning St. Louis offers plumbing services to help.

6 Webster Groves, 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 learning the different signs essential. Individually, none of the the below indicators guarantees that you have a broken sewer line., but if your Webster Groves, MO home starts to display multiple of them, it's time to call a professional plumber to check for sewer line damage:

  1. Odor/Smell - If your backyard always seems to have a gross, sewage smell, that's the best clue that your sewer line could be 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 - 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 - Leaking sewer lines drawn in pests like insects and rodents. These pests can thrive in the leakage, 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:

The particulars of sewer line damage can be challenging to identify. Sewer line breaks in Webster Groves, MO have several causes, but the most frequent are:

  • Wear and Tear - Regardless of how well you care for your pipes, in time, they'll wear out and need repairs. 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.

If your sewer line was put in correctly and cleaned/maintained regularly, it shouldn't need repairs often. However, breaks do still occur, even when you're careful. When that happens, your plumber will need to use the right method to quickly and properly fix the issue, and avoid high costs or inconveniences in your life.

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How We Repair Webster Groves, 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 first talk with you to get an understanding of the problem and then inspect your pipes to find the root cause. We look at your lines using a top-of-the-line drain camera to see all throughout your pipes, and can confirm if there is a leak in your sewer line.

After we've found a break in a sewer line, our technicians will help you identify the best repair option for your home. If viable, 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 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. However, instead of outright replacing the old sewer line, with a pipe lining method, you reinforce it with a smaller tube. This tube is measured to fit snuggly in the old line, will be affixed with epoxy, and gets your sewage flowing past the breaks in the old line.
  • Sectional Pipe Point Repair - Sectional pipe point repair is very similar to pipe lining, because it also uses the technique of pulling a section of sealant or liner through the pre-existing sewer line. The main difference is that instead of relining a long portion of the older, damaged pipe, point repairs only cover a smaller section with the leak.

Each of these methods lets us restore your home's plumbing, more rapidly while letting you stick to your routine. Sewer line repairs no longer need to be a full-day or multi-day endeavor that throws off your day and tears up your yard. Today, 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 realistic. And regardless of the repair method, we reconnect and test your pipes again afterwards, to be certain everything is no longer leaking like the old one.

Preventing Damage to Your Webster Groves, MO Sewer Lines

To get the longest life out of your sewer line, you'll want to take proper care of it. Below are some tips to minimize wear and tear and prevent future damage to your sewer line:

  • 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 your sewer pipes are almost guaranteed to be affected, as 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 as they clean. Others just worsen the clog. If you think one of your pipes is blocked, a better option is to pour warm salt water down the drain, and if that doesn't work, call a reputable Webster Groves, MO plumber to clean out the block.
  • Manage Tree Roots - When planning on planting or moving a tree on your property, check where the sewer lines run early in the planning stage, so you can avoid planting the tree close by. You can also install root barriers around your pipes to block them from invading the pipe.
  • Get A Backflow Preventer - If you've ever had issues with basement flooding, particularly from a sewer line, your home might need a backflow preventer. This device 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 benefit greatly from 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 stops major problems before they happen, saving you money and time in the long run.
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Webster Groves, MO Sewer Line Repair FAQs

Webster Groves, 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?

It depends a bit on local regulations, but typically if you own the property, you're responsible for sewer line repairs. This also applies for parts that go off of your property, until the pipe reaches the sewer main, it's frequently 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?

Not every sewer line leak is an emergency, but if it's letting sewage out into your yard, or back into your home's clean water, then it is. This is because of the damage it can do 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. Being aware of the key signs of damage and ensuring you have your plumbing inspected regularly is critical to identify damage early.

What is the cheapest way to repair a sewer line?

If possible, a trenchless repair method (like pipe lining or pipe bursting) is the cheapest way to repair or replace a sewer line. Consult with a professional Webster Groves, MO plumber to find out if one of these options is right for your property.

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 frequently are 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 your sewer line is damaged, or you're not sure and need to set up an inspection, Drain Cleaning St. Louis is proud to be your partner. Our customers get:

  • Experienced Plumbing Specialists - We have over a decade of experience plumbing in Webster Groves, MO, and our team is ready for any plumbing problem, even the unexpected.
  • 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 - Because issues can arise at any time, we're ready to fix them right away.
  • Wide Range of Services Available - Beyond sewer line repairs, we can help with all of your plumbing needs.

We also offer these services in Webster Groves, MO:

Protect your health and your home. For Webster Groves, 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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