Signs the pipe is broken, not just clogged
A clog usually clears and stays clear. A damaged line keeps coming back. Look for:
- Backups that return within weeks of a cleaning
- A camera view showing a crack, a gap at a joint, a section pushed out of line, or a pipe crushed flat
- Roots that grow back soon after they are cut
- A "belly," a low spot where water and waste sit instead of draining
- Soggy ground, a sewage smell or a sunken patch of lawn over the line
- Slow drains in every fixture, not just one
If the drains are only slow and you have never had the line checked, start with drain cleaning. If everything is already backing up, read about a main sewer line clog first.
Finding out what is wrong
You cannot repair what you cannot see. The plumber runs a camera through the line, notes how far from the cleanout the damage sits, and marks the spot on the ground. The sewer camera inspection page explains what the picture shows. Ask for the footage or photos so you can compare quotes.
What the repair involves
- Locate and mark. The camera finds the damage and the plumber traces it from above.
- Call 811. Before any digging, the utilities must be marked. More on that below.
- Choose the method. A short bad section can be dug and replaced. A long run may be better replaced whole. Some lines can be lined or burst in place without a trench.
- Do the work. The old pipe comes out, new pipe is laid at the right slope, and the joints are made watertight.
- Test and inspect. The new section is checked for flow, and in Johnson City the building sewer must be inspected before the underground part is covered.
- Backfill and restore. Dirt goes back, and yard, driveway or sidewalk repairs are agreed in advance.
Trenchless, in short
Some repairs can be done without digging a long trench. The method has limits, and not every pipe qualifies. The trenchless sewer repair page covers how it works and when it is not an option.
What affects the price
No number here is a quote. The price moves with:
- How far the damage is from a cleanout, and how long the bad section is
- How deep the pipe lies
- What sits on top of it: lawn, trees, a driveway, a porch or a slab
- Whether the plumber must dig or can work from inside the pipe
- Whether the line crosses a street, sidewalk or right-of-way
- Permit and inspection requirements
- Whether the job is urgent or scheduled
Ask for the repair method, what is included and how the yard will be restored, in writing, before work starts.
Johnson City and East Tennessee specifics
- Who owns what. Johnson City's code says the property owner is responsible for maintaining the building sewer on private property, and that includes repair or replacement. The public sewer main is the city's; ask Johnson City Water & Sewer Services about anything in the street. If you are not sure where your problem sits, the plumber and Johnson City Water & Sewer Services can tell you.
- Permits and inspection. The code requires a written permit from the building inspector before anyone connects to or disturbs a public sewer, and building sewers must be inspected before the underground part is covered. Ask your plumber which permits apply to your job.
- Digging. Tennessee law requires notice to Tennessee 811 at least three working days before digging, and a locate ticket stays valid for 15 calendar days. The plumber or excavator normally places the request, and it covers each company digging.
Before you call
- Stop running water if sewage is coming up. Do not flush or run the washer.
- Keep children and pets out of any sewage. It carries bacteria and viruses.
- Do not dig near the line yourself. Buried gas, electric and water lines are often close to sewer pipes.
- Note where it backs up first, and when the last cleaning was.