Let’s face it – when you flush the toilet, you want whatever is in the bowl to magically disappear, never to be seen again… right? Well, it takes a working sewer line to get the job done, by which we mean quickly and efficiently transferring waste water and other intended materials through a sewer pipe and into the city’s main sewer system. The main run between your house foundation and the city sewer connection is called the sewer lateral, and keeping this plumbing line free of cracks and clogs is the homeowner’s responsibility. So today, we’ll share some tips to keep your sewer lateral in tip top shape.
Sewer Lateral Composition
While many of quintessential San Francisco houses date back to the mid-1800’s, much of the city’s plumbing, sewer, and water treatment infrastructure didn’t arrive until after the big quake in 1906, continuing to evolve throughout the mid century and into the modern day. A lot of older homes in the area may still have the original clay or cast iron sewer lines. More recent builds likely have American-made, cast iron pipe sewer laterals.
Sewer line laterals rely upon gravity and water pressure to move waste through to the city connection. Proper sewer line sloping allows gravity to work its magic – typically 2% or a quarter-inch drop per foot. So if there’s a 50 foot run between your house foundation (Point A) and the city connection (Point B), the sewer lateral must drop at least 12.5 inches along the way. Should the slope drop below San Francisco plumbing code, standing water and debris can become a sludge that eventually clogs the line.
Common Causes for Sewer Lateral Backup and Damage
- Earthquakes, erosion, and other ground shifts
- Tree root intrusion
- Construction near the sewer line
- Pipe corrosion
- Sediment buildup – toilet paper, hair, human waste – and things that should not be flushed down the toilet like hygiene products and “flushable wipes” (which are anything but)
Signs of Sewer Line Failure
When your sewer line ultimately clogs, waste water will back up into your house, creating both a major mess and health hazard. Before this happens, trust your senses that preventative sewer care is needed.
- Smell – sewer lines typically include exhaust vents along the way to release gases outside of the home. If your toilets or basement areas start to smell, this is your sign there is a compromise in the system. You may also smell waste water outside along the ground atop your sewer line run.
- Sound – we all know the satisfying sound a toilet makes when the waste water is sucked out, it happens right before the soothing sound of fresh water refilling the basin. If you start to hear slow, deep gurgling sounds as the basin struggles to expel the waste, this is a major sign of a clog in the line
- Sight – if you start to notice sinks, tubs, and toilets drain slower than normal, you likely have a clog. The buildup might be right near the point of origin, as this is where plumbing typically has the most twists and turns. You may also see sagging and wetness in your garden or lawn where the sewer line has cracked or collapsed.
Solutions to clogged, cracked, or damaged sewer line laterals
- Sewer line inspection – Ace Plumbing and Rooter technicians can snake a high definition camera all along the sewer lateral to identify cracks, clogs, and corrosion along the way, this can set any one of the following remedies into motion
- Rooting (also known as snaking) is one of Ace’s most common services – we’ll snake our coils deep into the system, twisting it to capture and remove much of the existing sentiment, to restore water flow
- HydroJet sewer line cleaning uses high pressure water to blast all sediment and buildup through the sewer lateral, into the city connection. Annual HydroJet service is a great preventative maintenance strategy to ensure healthy sewer lines remain that way.
- Trenchless Sewer Line Replacement keeps structurally sound, but mildly cracked and corroded sewer pipes in place, essentially running a durable and crack free new line within the old line – this option can save homeowners a lot of money, as it leaves surface level landscaping and concrete in place.
- If a major overhaul is needed, Ace Plumbing and Rooter can fully replace and upgrade your sewer line. We’ll dig out and remove the existing sewer pipes, properly grade the sewer line lateral, and install American-made cast iron pipe through to the city connection. We can recommend landscape and concrete partners to replace sidewalk, driveway, grass, and gardens along the dig line, so the finished result looks the same as before, if not better.
Ace Plumbing & Rooter is your whole home plumbing and sewer specialist. We pride ourselves in helping customers like you to get maximum performance out of the water lines, fixtures, and sewer laterals that make in-home plumbing a miracle of modern living.
