A busted sewer pipe can be a real pain, not just due to the work and cost to repair it, but the smell can be pretty putrid. If you want to avoid stinking up your house and potentially the whole neighborhood, taking some preventative measures to ensure a sewer pipe’s reliability can save your sense of smell as well as your wallet.
In past years, there weren’t many ways to determine the state of a sewer pipe until a problem actually occurs. However, a more recently developed method used in trenchless sewer repair and replacement is video inspection.
This invasive method only requires a small entry point in which a professional can insert a thin fiber optics cable with a camera to assess any damage.
Trenchless sewer repair techniques actually came on the market about 10 to 15 years ago, but many are unaware it is even an option. Because most people don’t even think about sewer pipe replacement until they find themselves in a state of emergency, they don’t have the time to research any alternatives.
One reason the quality of a sewer pipe is not on top of people’s to do list, is because they’ve never had to worry about it in the past. It’s hard to blame them considering that experts estimate the life of a sewer can reach up to 40 years, depending on various factors that affect integrity, but even before that they could need replacing.
So even if you’ve lived in your home for years without problems, it’s worth hiring a service to examine a line with video inspection. This can prevent the need for future snap decisions, and will allow you to budget for future sewer repairs or replacements.
On average, video inspection prices cost anywhere from $250 to $350, which is substantially less than any kind of repairs. You might as well get your sewers checked before your yard starts smelling worse than your bathroom.