Common issues found by lateral inspections
In many instances, our team of plumbers are able to diagnose plumbing problems due to their extensive experience. However, in in some cases, we need to use a camera to visually inspect your plumbing from the inside to determine the source of clogs, slow drainage, decreases in water pressure, or a lack of running water. In cases like these, we employ a sewer scope camera attached to a line that allows us to run it through your system to inspect your pipes in real time. Once the issue is located, we can often fix it from the outside or recommend our hydro jetting services to clear the line quickly.
A sewer line inspection can be conducted in any circumstance where your plumber may need to identify the cause of your plumbing issue. However, these inspections are often required if you are selling a property, and must be completed prior to settlement. If you are buying a new home or an older home in Bucks County, Montgomery County, or Philadelphia, you should make sure to call a plumber to perform a lateral sewer inspection so you know exactly what’s going on with your pipes. This can help you become aware of any plumbing issues that may be going on in your pipes, making it an important part of the inspection process.
Think you might need a sewer lateral inspection for your property in Bucks County, Montgomery County or Philadelphia? Here are some common issues that our team of professional plumbers may uncover by performing a sewer line inspection.
Defects in your home
Even if your potential home is brand new, it’s better to be safe than sorry when it comes to your plumbing. While it’s not as common as other problems, it is possible for accidents to be made during construction that can have far-reaching and long-lasting negative effects on your home’s plumbing. While building the home, it’s possible to accidentally damage the sewer line and not even know it. Catching it before it becomes a big repair will save you a lot of money and stress.
Pipe bursts
You can never be completely sure how well a past owner has maintained their home before you moved in. If the past owner was a bit neglectful, then pipe mishaps can occur. These may happen for a number of reasons: tree roots infiltrating the plumbing, ruptures due to cold weather, or just simply normal wear and tear that occurs over time. A collapse can cause full blockages and leaks, which may lead you to call an emergency plumber to get your water flowing again. Typically if there is a full collapse of a pipe, depending on where it is, we may not be able to do a full inspection so this is vital to get fixed right away.
Cracks
Cracks commonly occur in clay or cast iron lines. Cast iron does not bend, so an extreme amount of pressure will cause hairline cracks to appear, the severity of which can vary depending on the pressure that was within the pipe. Cracks that appear on the top of the pipe may not be as urgent, but if the crack appears on the bottom then it might need to be repaired as soon as possible, since water runs along the bottom of the pipe and will leak through even the smallest crack. Something as simple as installing a liner can reduce leakage into your lawn and help prevent further problems down the line.
Grease buildup
Garbage disposals are common in modern-day kitchens, but many homeowners don’t use them responsibly; this means they often end up flushing things down the drain that should not be there. Grease is a major culprit when it comes to clogged lines. Oil is not water-soluble and thus can stick to the interior of your pipes. If not cleaned, out blockages can occur. The good news is that this is an easy problem to solve. We can use a hydrojet to flush the line so you can get your plumbing back online in no time.
Tree roots
Roots are powerful and will let nothing get in their way when growing. This slow root growth can even affect your sewage line over time, crushing, offsetting, or invading your line. A carelessly planted tree can eventually wreak havoc on your pipes, especially clay or cast iron lines. There are a few solutions we can suggest, all depending on the exact situation we uncover during the inspection. It’s a common problem with fairly easy remedies, including our hyrdrojet. We do recommend that if you plan on planting trees be sure you carefully consider where so you don’t cause damage later when the roots grow in.
Offset pipes
When two sections of your plumbing pipes don’t quite line up, this is referred to as “offset”. Oftentimes, environmental factors can cause this to occur, though it can also be due to poor installation. The severity of the offset will determine how urgently it has to be addressed by a plumber in Bucks County, Montgomery County or Philadelphia. If it’s severe then this could require your team to dig it up and replace it or repair it from there. If it’s not too severe then a team can use trench-less technology to fix it. This might involve using an inflatable pipe liner to create a new, seamless lining for the interior of the pipe.
"Bellies"
Also known as a sag, bellies occur when debris collects in the low point of the pipe, causing disruption in the system flow. This can lead to backups or blockages which is never a good thing. Bellies can be caused by poor layout, roots or other shifting soil. This is a very common find in lateral inspections. If minor then we may not have to do anything but if severe then digging may be needed to fix it.
If you suspect that there may be one of the above issues affecting your sewer line, then we encourage you to contact a plumbing team to perform a sewer lateral inspection. While it is ideal that your inspection report comes back clean, you may need to hire a team to resolve issues that are uncovered during the inspection process. In this case, we highly recommend that you have a team of expert plumbers on hand to resolve your issues. At McClain Bros. we not only do the inspection, but also handle any plumbing repairs you may need to your sewage, heating and plumbing systems. If you’re experiencing a plumbing emergency, our licensed and insured plumbers are available day and night – including holidays and weekends – to get your system flowing again. So if you need a lateral inspection on a home before you buy it or need to get to a settlement, McClain Bros. is here for you.