Sewer or Drain Line Replacement Decision:

This article describes we determined that a sewer pipe or "drain line" had to be replaced. The line which was replaced in this sewer drain line article runs from the building exterior to a septic tank located downhill from the home.

Sketch courtesy of Carson Dunlop Associates (above) shows common defects found in clay sewer piping: tree root invasion, silt infiltration where pipe hugs open due to settlement and pipe shifting, or broken, collapsed pipe sections. Our clay sewer pipe article (below) diagnosed a broken sewer line that was crushed from above. The pipe was shallow, not protected from damage, and was broken when a heavy lawn mower drove over the line.

We present an actual sewer line replacement case study, illustrated with photos of each step in the diagnosis and replacement of a blocked sewer line. Technical reviewers are welcome and are listed at "References."

Guide to Determining that Sewer Line Replacement is Needed

Discovering a broken but buried drain pipe

Using a wrecking bar and shovel we flipped over the section of sidewalk to expose, no surprise, a wet area below the sidewalk, showing that not only was our sewer line blocked, worse, it was broken. This was not a big surprise.

We were working on a 1920's home which still, as far as we knew, had its original clay piping between house and septic tank. The second photo is a close up showing the sewage leak where the drain line was not only blocked, but broken below the sidewalk.

This photo shows a mud and root-clogged section of clay pipe removed later during excavation of the drain line. What caused the clay piping to break after all these years?

It could have become damaged by tree roots, but we suspected and still do, that something different occurred here.

The home had recently undergone an extensive renovation between tenants. The contractors had driven a heavy pickup truck into and up the rear yard in the process of removing debris.

It was possible that driving over the concrete walk had pressed it down just enough to crack the clay piping.

How much drain pipe to replace during sewer line repairs

Here's a photo of the total distance from the house rear foundation to the septic tank (down hill to the left of the garage in the photo.)

Regardless of the cause of the broken drain pipe, that section would have to be replaced. Now we had a decision: do we just dig up the broken section by hand and replace it, hoping for the best?

While we might have gotten away with digging by hand to replace just the broken few feet of drain line, it was quite possible that the drain would then be discovered to be blocked again further along, by more damage in the same area or closer to the septic tank.

Given the cost of bringing an excavator to the site at all, and wanting to make a complete, reliable repair rather than risk having to simply repeat the whole process all over again in another year, we decided to replace the entire line between house and septic tank.

 

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Continue reading  at REPLACE SEWER LINE, STEP BY STEP or select a topic from the closely-related articles below, or see the complete ARTICLE INDEX.

Or see these

Recommended Articles

• SEWER LINE REPLACEMENT
  • DIAGNOSE a BLOCKED DRAIN
  • WHEN to CALL a PLUMBER
  • FIND the MAIN BUILDING DRAIN
  • USE a POWER SNAKE to CLEAR a BLOCKED DRAIN
  • FIND DISTANCE to DRAIN BLOCKAGE
  • DETERMINE NEED for DRAIN LINE REPLACEMENT
  • REPLACE SEWER LINE, STEP BY STEP
  • MAKE OTHER SEPTIC REPAIRS
  • INSTALLING the NEW SEWER LINE
  • BED the SEWER LINE in SAND
  • FINAL BACKFILL SEWER LINE TRENCH
  • DOCUMENT BURIED COMPONENT LOCATION
  • FINAL SEEDING & RESTORATION
  • SEWER / SEPTIC LINES at STEEP SITES

Suggested citation for this web page

DETERMINE NEED for DRAIN LINE REPLACEMENT at InspectApedia.com - online encyclopedia of building & environmental inspection, testing, diagnosis, repair, & problem prevention advice.

Or see this

INDEX to RELATED ARTICLES: ARTICLE INDEX to DRAIN SEPTIC SEWER PIPES

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Citations & References

In addition to any citations in the article above, a full list is available on request.

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