What To Expect From A Sewer Line Inspection And A Subsequent Plumbing Repair Service | Atlanta, GA
A sewer line inspection is an integral part of plumbing repair service packages for homes and residential and commercial areas in Georgia. If ignored or misdiagnosed, sewer systems can develop messy emergencies that can interfere with the entire plumbing system in the neighborhood. We don’t want our drinking water or roads contaminated with raw sewage, do we?
Commercial and residential building owners in Atlanta, GA, as well as city authorities, have the sole responsibility of working hand in hand with qualified plumbers in conducting routine sewer line inspections.
As an Atlanta resident, you may wonder what sewer line inspection entails and which top plumbing service providers in the city offer such plumbing repair services. This article covers all there is to know before you contact your plumber; read on and find out more!
What is sewer line inspection?
Sewer line inspection involves sending plumbing experts down large sewer pipes to check the integrity of the line system. If the sewer line is large enough, a team of plumbers descend into the pipes, check the flow of wastewater, remove any clogs, and re-screw loose pipe joints.
However, sewer pipes serving residential and commercial buildings are often too small to accommodate a person. In such cases, plumbing inspectors may choose to send a drone such as the Elios 2 drone and get live footage of the internal pipe layout. They will then use this footage to diagnose the problem and develop the desired solution.
In cases of smaller sewer lines such as the one found in your home, sewer line cameras are used for inspection. The camera is attached to a cable that sends back footage to the inspectors on the ground.
Why should you carry out a sewer inspection?
Sewer line inspection is the most ignored of all plumbing repair services, and for a good reason. Not everyone wishes to deal with sewage repairs and maintenance; luckily, we have qualified plumbing repair service providers in Atlanta, GA, who can solve this problem. Here is why you need a sewer line inspection today:
Fix your little sewage emergency
Sewer line emergencies are rare in our lives but become disastrous when they happen. Common symptoms at home include water bubbling from the toilet or water backing up from the sink drain.
These are early warnings, and you should alert your plumber as soon as you spot them. It is also wise to stop adding water to the line as that may cause further pressure build-up and break other system components. Your plumbing service provider will check it out and fix it appropriately.
For residential and commercial building owners, a malfunctioning sewer line is an even larger nightmare as you may not control the flow of wastewater. For this reason, you may always need a team of plumbers on standby so that similar emergencies are addressed on time.
Routine maintenance
Your sewer line does not have to malfunction before you can schedule a routine maintenance inspection. Periodic inspections allow you to detect faults before they aggravate and fix them on time.
Residential and commercial buildings are required by law to conduct regular sewer line inspections in collaboration with the local authorities in their areas.
What to expect during a sewer line inspection
Plumbing repair service providers treat home sewer line inspections differently from urban city sewer line inspections. They employ different techniques as these systems have different diameters and connection pipes.
Home sewer line inspection
Sewer line inspectors use cameras connected to a cable (called a snake) that is pushed through the sewer line. The plumbers will need to access your drainage systems, starting from the pipes to the sewers, and might need access to your building if necessary.
Inspectors will mark any anomalies on the floor using different tape colors coding for blockage, rusting, or leakage. They will further give you a full assessment of the drainage system’s longevity, materials used to buy it, and repairs that will be needed.
Residential and commercial sewer line inspection
Residential and commercial plumbing repair service providers require expertise in handling complex sewer systems as they are large-scale, and tracking the origin of the problem can be challenging. Plumbing companies use the following techniques:
Visual inspections
Visual inspection is done on large pipes where the inspectors physically enter the lines and examine the conditions inside. They will take note of the flow but will focus majorly on the layout and state of the infrastructure.
Closed-circuit television (CCTV) inspections
Narrow pipes between 4-48 inches are accessed using CCTV cameras attached to a raft and floated inside the tunnels. The camera is also connected to lights that illuminate the sewer walls, giving better imagery of the walls. CCTV companies produce a specific category of cameras for this job and are different from regular security cameras.
Lamping inspections
In lamping inspection, the camera is lowered into the manhole hole of the sewer drain and remains stationary as inspectors collect data on the areas surrounding it. This method is inconvenient as it can only inspect the area around the maintenance hole.
As discussed earlier, city residential and commercial plumbing repair service providers may also use drones or cameras.
Fixing a broken sewer line
After the inspection, your plumber will recommend the necessary actions to remedy the malfunction. These actions may be minor repairs, dirt removal, or sewer line replacement. Here are some repairs that we may recommend:
Pipelining
Pipelining is used to repair minor damage, such as pipe cracks. Epoxy is applied to the broken area and is held in place with an inflated tube until it dries and seals the cracks. The inflated tube is removed afterward.
Piper bursting
This technique involves cutting out the damaged part of the pipe and replacing it with a jointed section. The process is effective but more expensive than pipelines. If your sewer line is damaged beyond repair, your technicians may be forced to replace it entirely.
Work with the proven plumbing experts in Atlanta
Sewer line inspection is a routine activity for any homeowner. It is prudent to have a trusted plumbing repair service provider who can visit your home regularly for sewer line inspection. It is also essential to keep your drainage system in good shape by removing trees that may grow into the drainage line and avoiding dumping materials into the drainage.
If you are looking for a plumbing repair service provider in Atlanta, GA, get in touch with our expert plumbers at Peach Plumbing & Drain to schedule sewer line repairs, replacements, or inspections today.