When the average person thinks about their plumbing system, if they do think about it, they rarely ponder the wastewater disposal side of things. The ability to get rid of wastewater by simply flushing a toilet or pulling the plug in a sink or bathtub is right up there among the most important modern conveniences available to us, but we really don’t give it much credit—until the system malfunctions and needs sewer line replacement. Calgary homeowners tend to develop a much greater appreciation for a perfectly functioning wastewater system after they’ve had the unpleasant experience of dealing with one that is functioning far from perfectly or not working at all.

If you’ve gotten the news (or suspect that you’ll be getting the news) that you need sewer line replacement, Calgary plumbers at Calgary Pro Plumbing are here to help with reliable, cost-effective services that provide long-lasting results. That way, you don’t have to cross your fingers every time you flush or discover a major problem like a flooded basement. Our team of experts has the skill and experience to repair, maintain and replace your entire plumbing system to keep it in excellent working order.

How Our Expert Plumbers Handle Calgary Sewer Line Replacement

When a property gets to the point where it’s clear that it needs sewer line replacement, Calgary homeowners often dread the thought of having holes ripped in their walls and their lawn torn up by a big, muddy trench in order to access the pipes that need to be replaced and address sewer line damage. That was exactly what used to happen, and the process of digging and filling in a trench made the entire project much more time-consuming, expensive, and stressful. Fortunately, there’s now a better way to take care of sewer line replacement. Our plumbing professionals use trenchless methods such as hydraulic pipe bursting that, as the name suggests, do away with the need to dig a trench. As a result, the whole process is much, much faster—in fact, we can usually complete a sewer line replacement in one or two days instead of the week or more it would take if a trench was necessary.

Inspection and Assessment

While there’s an odd time when someone knows precisely why they need sewer line replacement, Calgary property owners typically aren’t sure what’s causing the problem or where in their system it’s localized, and that’s understandable. Almost all of your wastewater disposal lines are completely hidden from view, so when a problem occurs, it’s something of a mystery—but those mysteries can’t hide from our expert plumbers. We use techniques such as sewer camera inspection to find out exactly what the issue is and where it’s located. Video camera inspection equipment is essentially a small camera with a bright light that is lowered into your drain on a cable and maneuvered through your drain lines. Once we’ve played the footage back, your Calgary plumber can come up with a diagnosis and a recommendation for the best option going forward.

Pipe Bursting

For the traditional method of sewer line replacement, plumbers used to have to dig a deep trench to reach buried sewer pipes. Trenchless methods such as pipe bursting aren’t just faster, they’re also more effective and provide long-lasting results, so there’s no compromise necessary. When a pipe is seriously damaged to the point that it needs sewer line replacement, homeowners can count on our experienced pipe bursting services. We’ll use hydraulics to break apart the damaged line, then thread a new line through the gap left behind in the soil. This typically only requires us to dig two small holes at either end of the section being replaced, so it’s far less destructive to your property, much faster, and causes a lot less stress and disruption to your household.

Choose Calgary Pro Plumbing for Sewer Line Replacement, Calgary Homeowners

Are you searching for the right local plumbing company to handle sewer line replacement? Calgary home and business owners need to look no further than the reliable, professional plumbers at Calgary Pro Plumbing. We are experienced with Calgary sewer line replacement projects and have the skill and equipment necessary to get the job done right.

Along with sewer line replacement, we also provide sewer line cleaning and sewer line repair services such as pipe relining. If you find yourself dealing with an after-hours emergency with your residential or commercial plumbing system, rely on our emergency plumbers for experienced 24-hour emergency sewer repair or replacement service.

Frequently Asked Questions About Sewer Line Replacement

What Caused My Property to Need Sewer Line Replacement?

There are a number of possible reasons why your plumbing system is experiencing sewer line issues, including a cracked or broken sewer pipe, and naturally, we won’t know what caused the issue with your particular system until we’ve had a chance to examine it carefully in person and come up with an assessment. However, almost all of those types of Calgary sewer line replacement problems are caused by intense pressure, whether it’s coming from the water inside the pipe or the ground outside of it. Possible causes include:

• • • Tree roots have gotten inside the pipe, causing leaks and sewer blockages, restricting the flow of wastewater
    • Seriously clogged drains caused by a build-up of items and substances, such as hair clumps, food scraps, paper towels, solidified grease, small toys or utensils, hygiene products, and other foreign objects
    • Soil shifting over time from landscaping changes or the building settling
    • Vibration from heavy construction nearby or seismic activity
    • Drainage lines are quite old and deteriorated

Will My Home Insurance Cover Sewer Line Replacement?

In years gone by, the answer likely would have been no, because homeowners insurance never used to include coverage for sewer line services like a sewer line replacement unless it was specifically added to the policy with an endorsement to cover plumbing systems. But nowadays, some insurance carriers do include certain types of coverage for plumbing components in standard home insurance policies, so even property owners who don’t have an added endorsement could possibly still get some form of insurance compensation to recoup the costs of sewer line replacement in Calgary. If you’re not sure, the best course of action is to call your insurance broker and consult with them about what is and is not included in your current homeowners insurance policy.

How Long Does a Pipe Typically Last Before It Needs Sewer Line Replacement?

Calgary plumbers get this question a lot, but it’s hard to narrow down the time frame without knowing more about your particular plumbing system because the material your lines are made of has a big impact on how long they’ll last. PVC pipes, which is what we usually install nowadays, can last around 75 to 100 years, and cast iron may be able to hang on that long as well before pipe replacement is necessary. But if you have Orangeburg pipes, also known as tar paper pipes, they’re usually only going to last 50 years at a maximum. Since they stopped being installed more than 50 years ago, if you’ve still got them, your system is long overdue for professional sewer line replacement. Calgary homeowners should also keep in mind that there are, of course, external factors at play that could significantly shorten the serviceable years of sewer pipes, such as tree root intrusion, extreme temperatures, soil movement, severe clogs, and other potential sewer issues.

Are Trenchless Sewer Line Replacement Methods Always the Best Choice?

As effective, efficient, and time-saving as trenchless sewer line replacement techniques are, there are a couple of specific situations where trenchless methods just aren’t a viable option. The majority of the time, methods such as pipe bursting or pipe relining are the right choice, but there’s no avoiding the need to dig a trench in these two scenarios:

6. Your existing pipe is so severely damaged and deteriorated that it has completely collapsed. Pipe bursting relies on there being a space left in the soil where the new pipe can be threaded through, but if there’s nothing there but a wall of dirt and pipe fragments, there’s no way to carry out a trenchless sewer line replacement.
7. Your current trench doesn’t meet minimum slope requirements. When a trench is originally dug, it needs to have a steep enough pitch because, as we all know, water moves downhill. If there’s not enough of a slope, wastewater will just sit there, and it can even cause a sewer backup. In a situation where there’s not an adequate slope, either because the installation was done wrong or the earth has shifted over time, trenchless methods are useless because the trench itself is not correct. The only way to fix it is to dig a new trench with the correct slope.

Time for Sewer Line Replacement? Calgary Can Rely On Calgary Pro Plumbing

Do you need an experienced team of plumbers for sewer line replacement in parts of Calgary? Don’t let warning signs like slow drainage or the smell of sewage slip. Instead, trust the reliable plumbers at Calgary Pro Plumbing to  carefully investigate it. We’ll get the job done with expert service and long-lasting results.

You can reach our friendly customer service representatives to schedule an appointment for service or to find out more about our reliable plumbing services in Calgary, which include water line repairs and drain cleaning.