Six Signs It’s Time To Replace Your Home Sewer Line

When a homeowner hears the words “It’s Time To Replace Your Home’s Sewer Line” it’s usually followed by an instant headache and the question “How much will that cost?”

It’s a simple fact: the pipes in your home’s sewer line are durable, but they won’t last forever. Replacing Your Home’s Sewer Line is something most homeowners will have to face at some point. In this article, we’ll break down the six signs to look out for (as your home’s sewer line shows signs of failure) as well as explaining what blocked drains have to with sewer lines, and introduce you to a cost-effective method of repairing your home’s sewer line pipes called Pipe Relining.

Six Signs It’s Time To Replace Your Home’s Sewer Line

Here are six signs that it’s time to Replace Your Home’s Sewer Line:

#1 Old Age! Your Sewer line is old.

Think about the age of your home – was it built 20+ years ago? In that time do you know whether the sewer line has been replaced? Sewer lines (main lines) and connecting pipes tend to become more fragile over time and fail more frequently. They are also more susceptible to cracks and thus tree root infiltration.

#2 Your Pipes are experiencing Consistent Blockages

If your home is facing consistently blocked toilets, blocked sinks and blocked drains it could be a sign of a failing sewer line. This is a major warning sign of a significant issue in your mainline and if left untreated could result in raw sewage coming back up through your pipes. You don’t want that!

To help prevent blockages from debris, fats and oils and foreign everyday objects, (basically what NOT to push down the sink) click here. 

#3 Strange Sounds And Smells

Bubbling, gurgling, and burping sounds coming from the toilet and pipes is a sign of a clog in your sewer line. Similarly, if you start to smell something iffy – it could indicate a significant blockage in your main line that needs to be investigated.

#4 Soil Changes In Your Garden

Have you noticed a change in your garden soil? Maybe a specific spot that is damp and muddy? Or raised and unusually fertile? This could indicate that a crack in your sewer line is feeding excess water to that area. In this instance you need an expert eye to check it out with a CCTV pipe inspection. 

#5 Water Fixture Clogs

If you’ve noticed water backing up in the sinks, drains, showers, and toilets (or maybe it’s happening in one specific area) this could be a sign of a main sewer line clog. Similarly, if water is taking a long time to drain this could be a sign of a mainline clog that needs to be investigated.

#6 Unusually High-Water Bills

An unusually high water bill could indicate a crack in the sewer line and your system working overtime to pump more water through it. Either way, a CCTV inspection will show any breakdown of underground pipes and you’ll know what you’re dealing with.

A professional, local, eastern suburbs plumber near you should be on speed dial if your home is experiencing any of these signs. If you’ve noticed any of these six signs around your home, it’s best to call our friendly team today or book in a service online so we can book an inspection and determine whether your sewer line needs replacing.

What Causes Consistently Blocked Drains?

A blocked drain is considered a plumbing emergency. Why? Because the impact of a blocked drain can have long-reaching effects on your entire plumbing system. Especially blockages that are caused by materials that can cause issues throughout the entire plumbing system. Typically food scraps, oils, fats and grease mixed with “flushable” wipes, dental floss and hair can create fatbergs within your pipe system that are incredibly hard to move without expert plumbing equipment.

If you see consistent blocked drains, especially kitchen and bathroom sinks, it’s altogether possible that somewhere along your line you have a fatberg that will need professional plumbing equipment to help shift. For our expert team to attend your property and inspect your pipes to find the cause of your blocked drains, please call us on 0420 102 394 now.

Why Keep Paying For The Same Service?

Did You Know, 74% Of Property Owners Consistently Have Their Blocked Drains Cleared Over And Over Again?

If there’s a problem with your pipes and drains, especially tree roots or massive debris blockages, you will probably need your home’s sewer line cleaned, repaired or even replaced at some point.

That’s because all drains, pipes and lines will at some point connect to your main sewer line. Your sewer line handles the hard work of your plumbing system.

Say you have a blocked drain, and a plumber comes to clear the drain, taking away any debris, and possibly using a high-pressure jetter to really clean out the pipes.

Unless your plumber has carried out a thorough search, extraction of any tree roots and replacement of any cracked or broken pipes, you’ll be seeing that plumber again.

 In fact, over the next 10 years, you’ll probably pay that plumber thousands of dollars to keep returning to your property for the same issue.

What you may see is that your plumber’s visits are more frequent (because when you ‘trim’ a tree, what happens? It grows back thicker and faster. Plus, once a tree has developed an extensive root system wrapped around a very healthy food source (the water and waste flowing through your pipes) it’s very difficult to completely eradicate it with conventional methods.  This is where Pipe Relining comes in, and one of the reasons why it’s become so popular.

After Doing The Maths, This Is Why The Smarter 56% Of Property Owners Are Biting The Bullet And Selecting The Permanent Solution Which Is Pipe Relining In Sydney.

The Solution To Replace The Sewer Line?

When it’s definitely time to Replace Your Home’s Sewer Line, our recommended solution is pipe relining. This is typically a more cost-effective and long-lasting solution for our customers. Plus, it’s less invasive, disruptive and time-consuming than the traditional “dig and replace” method of repairing a home’s sewer line.

What is Pipe Relining?

Pipe relining is also referred to as CIPP (Cured In-place Pipelining) is a revolutionary method of repairing a home’s broken, cracked or worn pipes. In this advanced process, there is no additional cost of digging up and replacing the existing pipelines. 

Essentially, when you reline a pipe, a new pipe is created, set and cured within the existing pipe. 

Pipe relining repairs the damaged pipes by curing them from the inside with the help of a unique resin. At Proximity Plumbing, we use a two-part epoxy resin. 

The resin is pulled through the pipe (with the help of some machinery) and expanded to leave a hard fibreglass shell that creates a hard, long-lasting pipe. The new pipe is up to 4 times stronger than a new PVC pipe and is perfect for sewer pipe repair.

The hardening or “setting” of the resin produces a brand-new, fully operational channel without involving any arduous digging process.

When’s The Right Time To Complete Pipe Relining?

1. If the pipes that need to be replaced lie below a concrete slab.

2. If the pipes are below a building.

3. If the pipes are below a heritage tree.

4. If the pipes are extremely deep and would be a difficult or risky dig up.

5. If the pipes are below a beautiful, landscaped garden that the client does not want to destroy or damage.

6. If the pipes are below a pool or pond.

7. If the pipes are below the street or driveway.

 What Are The Advantages Of Pipe Relining?

1. No Digging Or Excavation Required.

2. Faster And More Affordable Than Open Construction.

3. 4 X Stronger Than A Standard PVC Pipe.

4. Our Piping Has A 50 Year Life Expectancy.

5. Works For Sewer Pipe Repair As Well As Storm water, Earthenware, Copper Asbestos, PVC And Cast-Iron Pipes.

6. Guaranteed For 35 Years.

7. Keeps Out All Tree Roots.

8. Reduced Impact On The Environment

How Long Does Pipe Relining Last?

In the pipe relining industry, this is one of the most miss informed and confusing points for the average consumer searching for pipe relining solutions. Every plumber online is advertising for different levels of warranty some may be as little as 15 years and most recently we have seen some companies offering 5o years +.

I’ll let you in on a little secret, no plumber can advertise more than the product’s warranty itself which for our Brawoliner® product is 35 years.  If you see anything more than 35 +years warranty they are simply trying to get your attention and cannot actually provide a warranty for a product that hasn’t been around that long and tested for anything longer- plus do you really think that plumber is going to be around when he’s 80 something to warrant his work – didn’t think so.

Are Small Leaks In My Pipes Really A Big Deal?

The problem with small leaks in pipes is that they provide a perfect place for pesky tree roots to infiltrate your system. Roots become attracted to pre-existing leaks in pipes due to the nutrient-rich water source that passes through them. Once inside, the roots thrive and grow exponentially, often causing much more damage than the existing leak. This is when you definitely need a professional, local plumber – preferably one that is a relining specialist (like us, at Proximity Plumbing).

When’s The Right Time To Complete Pipe Relining?

In a perfect world, the right time to complete pipe relining is as soon as you realise there’s a problem. We don’t want our customers to end up with a huge headache because minor plumbing issues get out of control. This is why we encourage our customers to call us as soon as they notice a problem.

This may be a blocked drain, tree roots growing into the pipework or a burst pipe that’s caused flooding damage. As long as we know about the issue, we can complete an inspection and quote to advise you on the right choice for your property.

 It’s important to note that once pipes have collapsed, they are no longer suitable to be relined. Then pipe replacement becomes your only option. So, act quickly.

Why Does Proximity Plumbing Recommend Pipe Relining For The Sewer Line?

When it’s time to replace your home’s sewer line, we reline your pipes, creating a new pipe within your existing pipe. Pipe relining completely seal the pipe, so there are no leaks, no roots, no problem. But the real kicker is the materials that we use; epoxy liner is considerably stronger than the commonly used PVC pipes and due to it being seamless, there are no opportunities for roots to exploit weaknesses such as joins and seals. Meaning your new relined plumbing is unlikely to cause you any problems for a good-long-while.

Why Choose Proximity Plumbing For Pipe Relining?

Proximity Plumbing has a proven track record of growth and success through word of mouth and quality of service. We proudly boast over 300 5 star reviews on Google!

We are a family-run, Eastern Suburbs business – and we’re true locals, we live, breathe and love the east. So, we know eastern suburbs pipework like no other company.

Above anything else, we value world-class customer service, and we aim to serve our local community whilst improving the standards and reputation of our industry.

Read More About Pipe Relining Here.