What Is a Sewer Camera Inspection?
If you’ve done any research on sewer line problems, you’ve probably seen something about “sewer cameras” or “video pipe inspections.” Any plumber worth their salt uses this technique when diagnosing sewer backups or sewer pipe damage, so it’s wise for homeowners to know what sewer camera inspections are and what they’re used for should a sewer problem ever arise.
HOW SEWER LINE CAMERAS WORK
The purpose of a sewer camera is to be able to see what’s causing a blockage or backup within the sewer pipe without digging up the yard or just guessing what the problem is. Because sewer repairs and pipe replacements are no small task, this helps homeowners avoid expensive repairs without knowing for certain that their problem will be solved when the work is done.
A tiny, flexible sewer camera is attached to a snake-like cable that plumbers feed through the sewer pipe until it reaches the cause of the clog (or break in the line). A radio transmitter on the camera records the physical location of the line and depth from the surface, telling the plumber where the blockage is and what work needs to be done to fix it.
TYPES OF SEWER PROBLEMS A VIDEO PIPE INSPECTION CAN IDENTIFY
A sewer inspection camera can identify nearly any problem with your sewer line, but these are some of the most common:
Tree root infiltrations: These are most common with old pipes made out of clay, cast iron, or other porous materials. Tree roots seek out water sources as they grow, and if they find a crack in your sewer pipe, they’ll grow into it to get to the water inside. Learn about how to avoid tree root infiltration here.
Broken, cracked, or collapsed pipes: Since the camera feeds along the pipe itself, the plumber will be able to tell if the pipe has collapsed, shifted, or become damaged.
Major blockages: Sometimes your pipes are in perfect condition, but years of sending things down the pipes that should go in the trashcan has caused a buildup of grease, paper, and other gunk.
Sagging or bellied sewer lines: When a section of the sewer pipe begins to sag, waste gets caught in the bellied section—resulting in repeat blockages.
Quick tips to minimize sewer backups »
TYPES OF SEWER PIPE REPAIR & REPLACEMENT
Once your plumber identifies the cause of the sewer line backup, you may have different options for how to tackle the issue.
Traditional Sewer Repair & Replacement
If the sewer camera inspection shows that your sewer line is sagging, bellied, or collapsed, traditional repair will be your only option. A plumbing company will dig a trench on your property to uncover the sewer line and repair or replace the section of pipe causing the issue. This method can cause damage to other parts of your property (concrete walkways and driveways, landscaping, etc.) but, unfortunately, it is the best option in some cases.
Trenchless Sewer Repair & Replacement
The trenchless sewer repair method is much less invasive and damaging than traditional trench digging. Trenchless pipe bursting begins by creating small access points to the damaged pipes. A cable is inserted and pulled through, following the path of the existing line, while simultaneously pulling the replacement line into position.
Learn more about sewer clog warning signs and repair options »
CALL YOUR LOCAL PLUMBER FOR A SEWER CAMERA INSPECTION
Are all the drains in your home backing up? Have you noticed puddles of sewage in your yard? These are telltale signs that you have a main sewer clog or that your sewer line is damaged. Layin Pipe Plumbing offers free video pipe inspections on all sewer repair calls so that we can accurately diagnose the issue you’re facing and offer an effective plan of action. We serve the Paradise Valley, Phoenix, Scottsdale, Arcadia, Biltmore, Care Free, Cave Creek, Tempe areas with reliable, same day service from local plumbers with years of experience. If you approve the work, we can get it done the same day.
If you think you have a sewer problem, avoid further damage by calling a plumber fast! Layin Pipe Plumbing is ready to help. Call us at 480.236.6089 or contact us online now.
What Causes Sewage to Back Up?
Sewage backups can be caused by a number of issues with your plumbing system. Fundamentally, sewage will back up whenever wastewater is unable to pass through your pipes and sewer line.
Here’s a closer look at:
The most common causes of sewage backups
How to know when you’re dealing with a sewage backup
What to do when sewage backs up into your home
If you’re dealing with an emergency sewer backup and you need help now, call Layin Pipe Plumbing at 480.236.6089 for 24-hour emergency service at no extra charge!
We provide FREE estimates and a 2-hour response time for sewage backups and other sewer line emergencies.
5 PROBLEMS THAT COMMONLY CAUSE SEWAGE BACKUPS
Clogs: Anything from grease and food to hair and small objects can create blockages in your pipes and sewer line. These clogs can slow down or stop the flow of wastewater through your plumbing system, causing backups.
Cracked sewer lines: When sewer lines crack due to age, dirt settling, tree roots, or any external damage, dirt and rocks can enter the line, creating a blockage that can cause sewage to back up into your home.
Broken or collapsed sewer lines: If a sewer line is completely severed or collapses, wastewater will be unable to get where it needs to go. Some may start to run off into the dirt, but the majority of it will stay in the line and build up there, again, causing a backup.
Tree root infiltration: Tree roots will gravitate toward water and nutrients, including nutrients that seep from sewer lines. If there are any slight cracks in sewer lines, tree roots can start to grow through these cracks, opening them up and creating a blockage that causes a backup.
Problems with the municipal sewer system: When the city’s sewer line is unable to accept wastewater coming from your home’s sewer line, backups can also happen. Usually, this occurs when municipal sewer systems are overwhelmed with runoff water after heavy rains.
HOW DO I KNOW IF I HAVE A SEWAGE BACKUP?
If you see or smell sewage coming up through any of your home’s drains, you likely have sewage backing up into your home. Other signs of sewage backups can include:
Bubbling or gurgling drains or toilets
Clogs in multiple drains, especially the lowest ones in your home
Plumbing fixtures experiencing backups when a different fixture is used, like sewage backing up into your tub after you flush a toilet or when you use your shower
Backups in your basement (or in first-floor fixtures if you don’t have a basement) when you use water in other areas of your home
WHO’S RESPONSIBLE FOR FIXING A SEWAGE BACKUP?
It depends on the exact cause of the backup. If problems with the municipal sewer line or system cause backups in your home, the city may be responsible for covering the cost of repairs.
If any problems with your home’s sewer line are to blame, you’ll be responsible for the repairs.
It’s important to point out that even if you’re the one who’s responsible for the repairs:
Your homeowners policy may cover the damage and the cost of repairs.
You should review your policy and contact your insurance provider to verify if you’re covered for this type of damage.
WHAT SHOULD I DO IF I HAVE A SEWAGE BACKUP?
Contact Layin Pipe Plumbing ASAP for emergency sewer line service.
Call 480.236.6089 for emergency sewer line service and a 2-hour response time. We never charge extra for after-hours service, and we always provide FREE estimates for sewer line service.
You can also contact us online for non-emergency sewer line service.
When it comes to sewer line problems, we’ve seen and fixed it all! Our expertise can give you confidence that we’ll accurately and efficiently diagnose the problem and provide the proper repairs. Plus, with Layin Pipe Plumbing, you can always expect:
Upfront pricing
First-class service
Top-quality solutions from experts who truly care about restoring your plumbing and sewer system!
Layin Pipe Plumbing has been offering exceptional plumbing services throughout The Valley of The Sun for more than two decades. That’s just one reason why we’re a top-rated local plumbing company!
We invite you to experience our excellence for yourself, and we look forward to helping you with any of your plumbing needs!
How Affordable is Trenchless Pipe Lining Compared to Other Repairs?
When it comes down to it, there’s really no easy way to deal with pipe damage, or worse, severe pipe failure.
That said, you don’t necessarily need to drain tens of thousands of dollars on repairing your home’s pipe or sewer lines. With innovative trenchless technologies, digging, and the remedial landscaping that follows, is largely avoided.
Using liquid epoxy-resin solutions, trenchless technicians can cure in-place entire new sections of pipe within your damaged line, via small or even pre-existing entry points.
The most expensive components of traditional, dig-and-replace pipe repair aren’t the materials or tools used, but rather the hard labor, displacement of earth, and long hours spent restoring the pipe in question. These extraneous costs are why traditional pipe repair typically costs 25-30% more than cured-in-place pipe.
Breaking Down the Cost: Trenchless vs. Traditional
To put things simply, the equipment and skill required for trenchless pipe repair will usually cost marginally more than up-front dig-and-replace repairs ($80-250 per foot, compared to $50-250).
The average cost for trenchless pipe repair is typically around $6,000-$12,000, while dig-and-replace repairs are usually between $4,000-$13,000 (the larger cost range accounting for manual digging, depth and pipe location).
However, this cost can as much as double when streets, utilities, sidewalks or driveways lie above the broken pipe. Displacing or restoring these ground-level fixtures can run traditional pipe repair costs as high as $25,000, if not more, for a single job. In these instances, the cost of trenchless remains the same; as digging is no longer necessary, trenchless specialists can fully repair or replace your damaged pipe without unnecessarily digging an inch of soil.
When it comes to pipe repair, the most expensive factors aren't the machinery or materials used, but the uprooting, landscaping and lawn damage that ensues.
The Hard Facts on Pipe Repair Cost
A more detailed look at pipe repair costs and averages is as follows:
Traditional, dig-and-replace pipe repair: $50-250 per foot, resulting in roughly $3,000-$6,000 for small jobs, and $5,000-$13,000 for repairs over 50 feet. Any additional landscaping, road closure, and labor will contribute a great deal to cost.
Trenchless pipe bursting: One of the most common dig-free pipe renovation techniques, pipe bursting costs roughly $60-200 per foot, resulting in $3,500-$20,000 for an entire repair. Bursting is essentially underground pipe replacement, and cost depends on the length and depth of your existing, damaged pipe. Using a cone-shaped bursting head, trenchless experts can typically replace an entire pipe in a single day.
Trenchless pipe lining: Relining your damaged lateral or sewer pipe will typically cost $80-250 per foot, with an average of around $160 per foot. For standard sewer lines, repair costs can vary between $4,000 and $20,000, depending on circumstance. In most cases, homeowners pay between $6,000 and $12,000 to repair critical sewer connections.
Small-scale pipe lining applications: For broken pipes below 50 feet in length, lining can typically be completed for around $3,000-$4,000, again depending on the location and depth of the pipe.
Determining whether pipe bursting or lining is right for you depends on your situation; how deep your pipe is, its location on your property, and how extensive the damages are.
For shallow pipes with no nearby utilities or obstructions, digging through and replacing the pipe manually would likely be more affordable than relining it internally. However, if your damaged pipe runs under your driveway, any large trees or sidewalks, dig-free pipe lining could save you as much as $10,000 in repair costs, if not more.
As total repair costs are entirely circumstantial, the first and most important step in finding the right repair for your home is contacting a trenchless pipe repair expert in your community to inspect your pipes.
Following a nonintrusive video inspection, you can identify the most affordable repair option for your home, and potentially save yourself thousands of dollars in unnecessary landscaping costs.
If you have an emergency, would like an assessment or need to repair or replace sewer lines in your home or business, contact us at Layin Pipe Plumbing 480.236.6089. We are the area's experts for trenchless pipe replacement and can help you solve the problems of your home, business, or municipality and help prevent future problems.
Are Flushable Wipes Really Safe to Flush?
Do you remember the first time you used a wet wipe instead of toilet paper? At first, you weren’t sure how to feel about it, but after a few more trips to the bathroom — you were hooked! While they might do a great job with the cleanup, they aren’t exactly the hero we thought they were when we first bought them. The packaging of these wipes do say “flushable,” but are they really safe to flush?
The Breakdown
Wet wipes are marketed as “flushable” and “septic-safe,” so there should be no problem with flushing them down the toilet, right? Wrong! Even though these wipes do eventually break down, they take a longer amount of time to do so compared to toilet paper. Since the breakdown of wet wipes aren’t as rapid, clogged pipes and blockages occur more frequently. Putting your home’s plumbing at risk for serious clogs translates to hefty plumbing bills for you.
Ragging
After these so called “flushable” wipes are flushed, they can get caught up with other items that are currently in your sewer line. Thick toilet paper, paper towels, cotton swabs, dental floss, sanitary pads, and toilet cleaning pads are all commonly flushed items that contribute to clogs and backups.
The combination of these items with wet wipes will create a mess of a blockage known as “ragging.” When this happens to you, break out your cell phone and start your search to find a plumber.
What to Do?
Manufacturers provide test results stating that flushable wipes are deemed safe to flush — however, there is evidence that supports the flushing of these wipes can increase the risk of clogged sewer lines and require pumping of septic tanks more often. Even though wipes might feel like the greatest invention since sliced bread, you should opt out of using them. Toilet paper is meant to be the ONLY thing flushed — other than “the obvious.”
Just because someone says something, doesn’t always make it true. That same principle applies to your beloved “flushable” bathroom wipes and their deceptive packaging. When your home is experiencing frequent clogs (whether you use wet wipes or not), there is an underlying problem that needs to be addressed. Layin Pipe Plumbing is always ready for your call, whether the clog is big or if it’s small! To learn more or to schedule an appointment, give us a call at (480) 236-6089.
Sometimes your Hands Could Use a Hand
Kitchen faucets have come a long way in the last couple years. The technology options for kitchen faucets are lot more than just hot or cold. We now have options for no touch faucets that work from a hand wave down to a foot sensor to the water flowing. As fancy or simple as you want the following are a few of our favorite. For something you touch several times a day, why not pick a faucet that will make you feel good? People will notice if you put in an unimpressive faucet.
Whether you have two full hands or 10 messy fingers, Delta Touch2O Technology helps keep your faucet clean, even when your hands aren’t. A simple touch anywhere on the spout or kitchen faucet handle with your wrist or forearm activates the flow of water at the temperature where your faucet handle is set. The Delta TempSense® LED light changes color to alert you to the water’s temperature and eliminate any possible surprises or discomfort. Experience the convenience and control of Delta kitchen faucets featuring Touch2O Technology.
Designed with ambitious home chefs in mind, the Kohler Tournant faucet delivers elegant styling and professional performance to your kitchen. A unique three-function pull-down sprayhead lets you speed through a range of tasks: Kohler BerrySoft® spray for food prep; an aerated stream for filling pots and pitchers; and Sweep® spray for cleaning. The high-arching coil spring removes for easy cleaning. Many additional features include: Unique three-function pull-down sprayhead with Sweep spray, BerrySoft spray, and aerated stream; DockNetik® magnetic docking system securely locks the sprayhead into place; High-arch gooseneck swing spout and 360-degree spout rotation offer superior clearance for filling pots and cleaning; 1.5 gpm (gallons per minute) maximum flow rate at 60 psi.
Free your hands. Tap your feet. Grohe's new foot control faucet can be turned on and off with a gentle tap of your foot. If saving time and convenience are priorities in your kitchen, why not go hands-free? GROHE’s new FootControl faucets can be turned on and off with a gentle tap of your foot on the base unit, leaving your hands free and your faucet spotless at all times. Two of our most popular faucets now utilize our innovative FootControl technology, but you can also convert any existing GROHE pull-out or pull-down kitchen faucet into a hands-free model with our retro-fit set. So wave goodbye to germs, mess and hassle...with your feet!
In the end, We suggest looking for quality and integrity in the engineering of the faucet's moving parts New technologies are here to stay. In other words: Install the best possible faucet you can afford.
Plumbing Innovation at it's Finest
We recently stumbled across this amazing line of plumbing fixtures. While browsing through the April issue of Architectural Record we saw this eUnit Kitchen faucet by Dornbracht. Dornbracht's eUnit kitchen faucet uses Smart Water technology allowing you to precisely control water temperature and volume for all your kitchen tasks. It also includes a digitally displayed control unit with memory to record your preferred settings. If that's not enough, it includes a foot sensor for hands-free control. This faucet easily fits into any kitchen design and we'd be lying if we said we weren't over the moon about this product.
Dornbracht's technology doesn't stop at the kitchen. They have a wide range of products that expand to the bathroom. Their bathtub faucet evens has an app that will alert you when the tub has been filled to your desired setting. For shower faucets each family member can program and store their preferred temperature settings as well. Truly a combination of sleek design paired with technology for maximum convenience.
We encourage clients to remember that anything is possible when it comes to designing and installing your kitchen and bath. We love working on projects that push the limits of design and we look forward to making all your plumbing needs come true!
4 Ways to Update Your Kitchen & Bath Before The Holidays
As the holidays start to sneak up on us, is your house ready for visitors? Rather it be the in-laws, your old friends from college, or the local neighborhood gang, you want to make sure everything is in tip-top shape. Getting a quick face-lift around the house can be as big or little as you choose to make it.
With most holidays the majority of time is spent in the kitchen. Preparing, visiting, or eating, the fact is the kitchen is the heart of the home. At the same time we doubt your guests won’t visit without a trip to the bathroom. We have a couple quick updates to help spruce up both spaces before you start inviting guests over.
1. Install a touchless kitchen faucet.
What better way to prepare Thanksgiving dinner than with a touchless faucet right at your fingertips. Prep time, cooking, and cleaning becomes a breeze, all while saving on messes and protecting from spreading germs. We love Sensate model from Kohler.
2. Add a reverse osmosis system
Ditch the plastic water bottles, install a reverse osmosis system and provide the best tasting, clean water instead. A reverse osmosis system is the most effective and economical way to provide clean water for all your needs. You will be able to notice a difference right from the start!
3. Update your bathroom fixtures
A quick way to update your bathroom without little to no mess is to install new bathroom fixtures. Switch out your faucet and shower head to reveal a whole new look. You will be surprised what a big difference such a small update makes. We love this shower head from American Standard. It’s best to consult through your local plumber to receive the best pricing available.
4. Upgrade to a WaterSense toilet
Upgrade your commode. We highly recommend the TOTO Drake model. This toilet has it all with its simple and elegant design, elongated bowl, and best of all its powerful water saving flushing system. It is a certified WaterSense product, includes a double cyclone flushing system, and includes a SanaGloss which helps keep the bowl cleaner longer.