When there’s a problem with a sewer pipe on your property, it’s important to get it inspected as soon as possible, in order to prevent the situation from worsening. However the signs that your sewerage system is in trouble are not always obvious. Some of the problems caused by a broken and leaking sewer pipe might seem reasonably benign, however if left unaddressed, may worsen and cause significant damage.
In this article, we’ll look at the symptoms of a damaged sewer pipe, look at why it’s vital that the problem isn’t ignored, and look at how a drain repairer will likely diagnose and fix the problem, which may include pipe relining.
Urgent Signs of a Damaged Sewer Pipe (Requiring Immediate Attention)
The following sewer issues on a property necessitate immediate assessment and action to rectify, otherwise the problems may worsen, damage surrounding infrastructure, and even pose a health risk.
If any of the following issues are occurring on your residential or commercial property, address them urgently.
- Sewage backup: Far from pleasant, a backup of sewage in a sink, shower or toilet is a sign of either a serious blockage, or a damaged sewer line. Not only will this smell bad and involve a nasty mess, but it can also be a significant hazard to health.
- A sewer smell: The stench of sewage on a property is unlikely to go unnoticed. If you smell a potent sewage smell near plumbing fixtures, it’s likely there’s a blockage, damaged pipe, or issue with ventilation. The gases that build up in sewer pipes can pose a risk to health, and should never normally be present, so it’s important to get the situation resolved quickly.
- Blockage in drains: If there’s a complete blockage of a sewage pipe or in the plumbing system, waste water may rebound back, resulting in backups and flooding within the home.
- Slow drain issues: Although this doesn’t sound like an emergency, a slow drain can be an indication of a more serious issue, which may worsen.
Sewer Pipe Issues That May Cause Structural Damage – Signs
Some drain pipe issues can pose a risk to infrastructure on your property. Whilst some of these problems may not seem urgent, putting off calling an experienced drain fixer may result in significant and costly structural damage. To avoid escalating harm to property, ensure the following signs are addressed.
- Mould Growth: A leaky water pipe or damaged sewer pipe that sits behind a wall can result in excess moisture. This can lead to mould growth in ceilings or walls, which may or may not be visible. Mould is extremely bad for health, and some people can experience severe symptoms when exposed to it.
- Aside from mould, this sort of moisture can also lead to further structural damage. So, whilst calling a plumber may not immediately come to mind when mould appears on walls and ceilings, an assessment is essential.
- Cracks in walls: If you notice cracks in the structures on your property, such as in the walls or on slabs etc., it could be a sign that water is leaking from nearby sewer pipes, and causing damage.
Environmental Indicators of Damaged or Obstructed Sewer Pipes
- Lumpy lawn or overly green grass: Noticed funny lumps or indents in your lawn or driveway? It could be a sign of a collapsed pipe, or of a leak that’s causing the soil to become overly wet. Another sign of a potential drain pipe collapse and leak is extremely green grass in only one area of the lawn.
- Septic wastewater around the septic system: Noticed puddles of damp or muddy water around your septic system? This stagnant water pooling near your septic tank or along the plumbing lines is known as ‘standing water’, and could be a sign of a broken or blocked sewer pipe, or of a malfunctioning septic system. If the problem remains, you may have issues with water contamination.
- Insects and rodents: Insects and rodents appreciate a water source, and a damaged drain pipe can make access to water easy. If you notice an increase in pests around your property, consider that a sewerage issue might be a cause, and have a look around for other signs.
Addressing Drain Pipe Issues – What Drain Fixers Will Do
In the above situations, it’s crucial to get expert drain repairers to assess the issues as soon as possible. If you choose Drain Fixers, we will perform a CCTV inspection, whereby we feed a camera into the sewer to identify structural damage from within the pipe. This is a simple process that requires no immediate digging, and minimal disruption to occupants.
After assessing the problem and identifying the cause, we can show you footage of the pipe and suggest the most effective fix for the problem.
The fastest solution to a damaged sewer pipe is sewer pipe relining, which can usually be actioned quickly, resulting in a pipe that’s repaired and ready to use on the same day.
The alternative solution is complete drain replacement, where the damaged or obstructed pipe is dug up. Because this method takes more time and requires digging, we usually avoid it unless absolutely necessary.
Let’s briefly look at each method.
Sewer pipe relining, also known as ‘drain pipe relining’ or ‘trenchless drain repair’, is a method of fixing damaged pipes from the inside without excavation, creating a new, durable drain within the old one. This process is significantly less disruptive than traditional pipe replacement, as it eliminates the need for noisy and messy digging. It is also more cost-effective, requiring fewer workers, no heavy machinery, and avoiding permit and property repair expenses. Additionally, sewer pipe relining has a lower environmental impact by preserving plant life, preventing soil erosion, and reducing fuel consumption from excavation equipment.
Circumstances where drain pipe relining is suitable include:
- The sewer pipe damage is minor to moderate: Sewer pipe relining is suitable for minor leaks, cracks and corrosion.
- Sewer pipe has not collapsed: For sewer pipe relining to work, the pipe must have sufficient structure for the liner to bond to the existing pipe.
- Minor tree root intrusion: Whilst large tree roots may severely damage a pipe, if it is a minor intrusion, we can use robotic cutters to clear the obstruction, and then use sewer pipe relining to close off entry points.
- Regular blockages or slow flowing drains: Sewer pipe relining is effective on blocked pipes when the blockage is caused by internal pipe wear. (Relining can restore smooth waste water flow.)
- Accessible pipe entry points – Drain pipe relining needs an opening to insert the liner, so is possible only when there’s upstream or downstream access.
- Pipes are aligned – Minor misalignments of sewer pipe may accommodate sewer pipe relining, however a significant misalignment won’t allow it.
- When you need to avoid excavation – If digging up a sewer pipe will damage surrounding infrastructure and landscapes, or it’s too disruptive or costly, then sewer pipe relining is the better way.
Drain replacement, via the trench-digging method, involves excavating the damaged section of a sewer pipe to install a new one.
At Drain Fixers, we use advanced CCTV cameras and pipe location equipment to pinpoint the exact area that requires digging. This minimises disruption to surrounding property.
Drain replacement via digging is clearly more invasive than no-dig sewer pipe relining, however for misaligned, collapsed, or otherwise severely damaged pipes, it may be the only viable solution. We make every effort to keep the excavation process as clean and controlled as possible, ensuring minimal mess and preserving the integrity of the surrounding landscape.
Circumstances where drain replacement is required include:
- There are solid obstructions in pipe that can’t be removed via robotic cutting within the pipe
- Theres no downstream access to pipe, so a sewer pipe reliner can’t be inserted
- The sewer pipe has completely caved in, so sewer pipe relining can’t be achieved
- There’s a misalignment or detached joins in the pipes
- The sewer pipe is falling the wrong way, and water’s running backwards.
FAQs
Can sewer pipe relining be performed on all types of properties?
Sewer pipe relining is a viable solution for repairing damaged pipes on commercial, industrial, strata and residential properties.
Are there limitations when it comes to sewer pipe relining?
The internal diameter of a pipe becomes slightly reduced in the process of sewer pipe relining, as the pipe needs to fit the new liner within it. This means that this type of repair may not be suitable for pipes that are already very narrow.
Also, in circumstances where access is difficult, or when upstream access is blocked, then standard drain replacement may be the best option.
For a CCTV Inspection of your drains, Pipe Relining, or Drain Replacement, contact Drain Fixers. We also can perform high-pressure water jetting to clean out grime.