Many communities through the country are dealing with a near epidemic level of plumbing issues as the water infrastructure throughout many areas is reaching an age of falling apart. Preventative maintenance is often neglected by communities that are constantly working with a tight budget, which means problems are not addressed until they are obvious physical problems. Unfortunately, it is often at a point when it is too late because they are already dealing with a busrt pipe or more than one busrt pipe. Communities and home owners are forced to be reactive instead of proactive.
The old pipes and aging sewer systems are causing an nearly 1.3 trillion gallons of untreated sewage to be spilled each year. Even a small crack can cause a lot of damage. One report showed that a one-eighth inch crack in a single pipe can spill over 250 gallons of water in a single day. The EPA has released numerous reports on the amount of sewage that may be leaking out of treatment plants all across America.
The leaking sewage poses a considerable risk to residents that may be getting some of that sewage in their drinking water, as well as the environment as plants and animals are being exposed to that sewage within their ecosystems. A single busrt pipe can cause significant and long-lasting damage. Further, a busrt pipe is not always immediately known, which means sewage could be seeping into the ground for hours or even days before it is discovered.
A significant part of the problem is that communities do not have the money to make the often very expensive repairs. On average, it costs $2,523 to repair a sewer main, but that can range up to over $4000 depending on the type of damage that needs repaired and even more depending on the length of pipe that needs replaced. For example, a complex dig and replacement can cost anywhere from $7,000 to $25,000, and that is after the expense of testing the lines to see where the breaks are.
Burst sewer lines are a significant issue that can directly impact home owners, and often puts the cost and trouble on the homeowner. When purchasing a home, sewer line inspections can save a lot of money and resources down the road. If nothing else, it can provide the new home owner with the knowledge that they may have to replace sewer lines in their property in the near future. Knowing the condition of the sewer lines through sewer line inspections and smoke testing can give them the knowledge they need to protect their financial investment.
If sewer lines on private property do need replaced, there are many options to help homeowners get the work done that they need while being as cost effective as possible. This includes trenchless pipe repair and trenchless pipe replacement. In addition to saving money, these methods also save the frustration and expense of having the property and landscape completely dug up.