We have a 2 story building in reconstruction (due to fire) with the slab and underground utilities as the starting scenario.  We need to pass city code pressure test of waste system before framing. We are struggling resolving leaks in the 6 inch waste line system under the slab.  The ABS piping system includes Ys, 90s, couplers, and straight pipe sections.  What do you see as options for inner wall repairs at all the sections?  Is there a lining process recommended here?  Other method or process to consider?  Is there a compound or solution we can add with or without water to seal and flush through the system without upsetting authorities or agencies here in CA?

-Tom

Tom, I would recommend sock lining: a felt sock pulled through an existing pipe and then inflated/expanded to fill the width of the old pipe. The sock cures in place and you have a new pipe inside of your old one. I would recommend contacting a reputable trenchless technologies company that offers sock lining services.

-Brian

I have a leak coming through my basement wall beneath where the drain pipe leads through the wall and out to the main sewer.  I thought it might be ground water, but noticed recently the leak seems to come back most aggressively when we are using high amounts of water in the house at the same time (like both showers running simultaneously).  The water coming from the wall looks clean though, and doesn’t smell like sewage water as I would expect if the drain pipe were leaking, but then again, I know nothing about plumbing, really.  On the other side of this wall, in the yard is a covered concrete slab patio which extends about 12′ from the foundation wall and out into the yard.  About another ten feet from that is a tree which is approx. 50′ wide by 50′ tall.  All of this is directly above where I believe the main drain runs into the sewer system.  Also, the house was built in ‘51 and the pipes leading out look to be cast iron.  I don’t even know who to call for help at this point, but I know the water saturating my block basement wall must be STOPPED!  Any help you can offer will be appreciated.

- Bill

Bill, you may have two separate problems. It might be best to first determine if you have a leak in either your water service or a partial plug of your sewer line (with a sewer back up, you would typically experience the back up directly into your home). I would suggest getting a pressure test on your water service to determine if it has a leak. Make sure it’s performed by someone reputable and that they have the right equipment. This is the best place to start –determine if this is the problem (and repair it), it may take care of the seepage issue. If not, and water is coming in from the outside, you probably have a subsoil drainage problem where ground water is not being displaced by your basement’s waterproofing. In that case you should consult a waterproofing company.

-Brian

The home we live in was built in 1947 and still has some cast iron sewer drain pipe in the basement.  One of the pipes looks like it has a slow leak in just one spot.  How can I clean this up and plug it?

-Janet

Janet, the answer depends on where the damage is –it it’s a leak at the joint with another pipe or if there’s a hole in the line. To repair a hole in a cast iron pipe, you can try a good two part epoxy or simply large hose clamps and a piece of rubber. If it’s a leak at the joint of a cast iron pipe, then you’ll need a plumber to come in and repair as it may be a poured lead joint. If it’s at a threaded section of the pipe, taking apart and resealing the joint may work, but after 51 years the pipe is probably in very poor shape.

The best way of dealing with a leak, especially in a sewer drain pipe, is to replace the section that is damaged. The last thing you want is the damaged pipe to have a major failure (leak or break) at some future date and spill sewage all over your basement.

-Brian

My back yard drain (partially under cement) is the old orangeberg pipe. When it is snaked out to remove and roots etc I am now receiving parts of the pipe. Total replacement would be tremendous. Can one sleeve orangeberg and is it economical? Can one use  the epoxy liner to fix?

-Richard

Richard, Orangeburg pipe, also called “fibre conduit”, is made from made from layers of wood pulp and pitch (for more information, see the article on Wikipedia here). Because Orangeburg lacks in structural integrity (even when it was new), it’s not a suitable host pipe for epoxy lining. It might be possible to sock line Orangeburg pipe if enough of it is intact, but you’ll need to consult with a company that offers these services to find out. The North American Society for Trenchless Technology’s website, is a good place to start looking for companies that offer different trenchless solutions that might have a solution for you, or at least offer additional insight.

-Brian

I bought a house in May, in the state of Texas inspectors don’t have to insect sewer lines and I took a chance and lost. The sewer line was old clay pipe. had a contractor to come out and fix 68 ft but the he found out that he would have to go to the main he wanted more money which was 10 grand, also the main was 14 ft down. When he found out I could not come up with it he left me with a hole in the ground and no sewage. I have been using a pick and shovel for the last 3 weeks or so to try to do it myself but I am out of energy to even look at it. So what is my next move?

–Dennis

Dennis, you should contact the municipality that you live in, in most cases you (the homeowner) are only responsible up to the property line and not all the way out to the main. At 14 feet down, this is not a do-it-yourself project. Digging a trench, especially one that deep, requires proper excavating equipment and shoring. Without shoring, the trench could collapse/cave-in, filling with soil –leaving you and anyone else in it buried alive. Click here to read TrenchSafety.org’s great piece (illustrated) on why trenches cave-in.

An alternative to digging a trench would be one of the several types of trenchless technologies available, these replace or restore failing sewer pipes with only limited excavating. The North American Society for Trenchless Technology’s website, www.nastt.org, is a good place to start looking for companies that offer different trenchless solutions.

-Brian

I’m considering making an offer on a house, but there’s an issue with the main sewer line. I’ve been told by the realtor that the owners have been having to have the line snaked every two months because it keeps clogging and backing up. What could be causing this? If I do make an offer on this house, I definitely would not be interested in continuing to have this done again and again. What possible pipe repair solutions are there? How much would you estimate it would or should cost to replace the sewer line? The house is about 10 feet from the street.

-Joseph

Joseph, having your sewer line snaked out that frequently is an unnecessary expense and hassle. My guess is that one of three things is happening:

• [tree] roots are penetrating the line (snaking would trim the roots in the pipe, but they’d just keep growing back),

• the pipe is not graded properly (waste isn’t moving downhill) sediment will start building up as soon as it’s cleaned out, or

• the pipe is broken and some parts have shifted, this would create areas where sediment will start building up as soon as it’s cleaned out.

While a visual inspection would help you figure out what the underlying problem is, I don’t know that the added cost of the inspection would be worth it. If the line runs under grass (no asphalt, trees, other obstacles), it should run between $150-200/ft. to replace it. An alternative to replacement would be sock-lining. It’s usually less-expensive than replacement, but you should get an estimate (should be free) to make sure. I don’t know what the current owners are paying for the snaking, but a new line ought to pay for itself in no time.

-Brian

What is the best feasible way to cut sewer taps in the field?

- Billy

Billy, the first thing you need to do is excavate down to the pipe and determine the pipe type. Depending upon what kind of pipe it is and if it’s being used all the time (continuous flow), you have a couple of options: you can either cut a section of pipe out and add a fitting with a “Y”, or you can chip a hole or drill it out and add a saddle (confirm a saddle is approved in your jurisdiction). The saddle method is not always a good idea as the pipe may splinter forcing you to replace that section.

-Brian

I have a home that had tree root problems and was causing the sewer to back up. We snaked out the sewer line and it runs ok. The problem is the sludge and gray water that has built up. It has clogged up in a pipe that has branched off the main. Snaking does not help because it sludgy. A plumber suggested jetting out the entire system with a power jet, but this is too expensive for me and might crack my clay tile. Is there any other alternative to fix this problem? ( e.i a chemical or some other method.)

–Steve

Steve, if snaking isn’t helping, your only hope of clearing it out is hydrojetting. And if that doesn’t work you’ll need to replace the pipe. Instead of digging up and replacing, you could contact companies that do trenchless pipe replacement. They offer various types of less intrusive (but costly) solutions that eliminate the need to dig up the pipe, including pipe bursting or sock lining with a CIPP (cured-in-place pipe) method.

-Brian

We are planning to move into a building that was built in 1982 that has a cast iron pipe for the main sewer line and there are problems inside the pipe and it clogs constantly. We just had a plumbing company film by camera the inside of the pipe and it looks like one of your pictures under CuraFlo. We priced the pipe bursting technique and for a 70 ft run under the concrete would cost is $14,000, which our landlord said was too much.

What do you think about that price, is that a reasonable price for this procedure?? What about the CuraFlo?? How do you know if this procedure will work on pipes that are over 20 yrs old and keep in mind the building has not been used for 7 yrs. Our Company is in Titusville Florida, so could you tell me who is your dealer in this area. Also, what’s the price range for this procedure??

-Ron

Ron, most pipe lining or pipe repair projects are difficult to estimate without knowing the details of the project. Things like location, accessibility, depth of bury, cause of failure, type of material and number of connections or fittings, all play a role in preparing a proposal. Therefore it’s difficult for us to evaluate your specific quote.

We can talk about solving your pipe problem. There are a couple of different in-place pipe repair techniques. One option, pipe bursting, involves bursting your existing pipe from within while pulling a new pipe through the space to replace the old one. This is one possibly viable solution to your problem, there are several including a cured-in place lining. Many local plumbers offer this technology and can prepare a proposal for you at no cost.

CuraFlo’s epoxy pipe lining technology is primarily used in potable (drinking water) supply pipes, and may not be the best solution for this problem. However, some CuraFlo dealers do offer services in addition to the CuraFlo Engineered Flow Lining System® (for 1/2″ to 4″ pipes) and the CuraFlo Spincast System™ (for 3″-36″ pipes). Click here or call 1-888-4CuraFlo to locate a professional near you.

-Brian