A slow drain may seem like a minor plumbing problem, but recurring backups, gurgling toilets, sewer odors, and multiple clogged drains can be warning signs of a much bigger issue inside your main sewer line.

The good news is that not every sewer problem requires digging up your yard or breaking open your basement floor. Depending on the condition of your sewer, professional plumbers now have several options available, including sewer jetting, trenchless sewer lining, and traditional sewer repair or replacement.

Knowing the difference between these services can help you understand what your sewer system needs—and potentially save you from unnecessary repairs.

Start With a Sewer Camera Inspection

Before recommending a sewer repair, the first step should be determining exactly what is happening inside the pipe.

A professional sewer camera inspection allows us to examine the sewer line for problems such as:

• Tree root intrusion
• Grease and debris buildup
• Cracked or broken piping
• Separated pipe connections
• Corrosion and deterioration
• Bellies or low spots in the sewer line
• Collapsed sections of pipe
• Foreign objects or heavy blockages

Once the problem is identified, we can recommend the repair method that makes the most sense for the condition of the sewer.

Hydro Jetting: Powerful Cleaning for Your Sewer Line

Sometimes the sewer pipe itself is still in good condition—the problem is simply what has accumulated inside it.

Hydro jetting, also commonly referred to as sewer jetting, uses highly pressurized water to clean the inside walls of your sewer pipe.

Unlike traditional sewer rodding, which primarily creates an opening through a blockage, hydro jetting can remove years of buildup from the inside of the pipe.

Jetting can be effective for removing:

• Grease buildup
• Sludge
• Soap residue
• Mineral deposits
• Dirt and debris
• Some tree root intrusion

Think of it as pressure washing the inside of your sewer line.

For restaurants, commercial properties, apartment buildings, condominium associations, and homes with recurring sewer problems, preventative sewer jetting can also help reduce the possibility of future backups.

When Is Sewer Jetting the Best Option?

Jetting may be recommended when the sewer line is structurally sound but has significant buildup or recurring blockages.

However, if a camera inspection reveals that the pipe is cracked, broken, separated, or badly deteriorated, cleaning alone will not correct the underlying problem.

That is when sewer lining or sewer repair may be necessary.

Trenchless Sewer Lining: Repair Your Sewer Without Digging Up the Entire Line

One of the biggest advancements in sewer repair technology is trenchless sewer lining.

Instead of excavating and replacing an entire sewer pipe, lining allows a new pipe to essentially be created inside the existing sewer line.

A resin-saturated liner is installed through the existing sewer pipe and then cured in place. Once hardened, the liner forms a strong, smooth new pipe within the old pipe.

Benefits of Sewer Lining

Sewer lining can provide several major advantages:

• Minimal excavation
• Less damage to landscaping
• Less disruption to driveways and sidewalks
• Avoids breaking open large sections of basement flooring in many situations ● Creates a smooth interior pipe surface
• Seals cracks and damaged joints
• Helps prevent future root intrusion
• Can significantly extend the usable life of an existing sewer

Sewer lining is especially attractive when the damaged sewer travels underneath expensive landscaping, patios, driveways, sidewalks, finished basements, or other areas that would be costly to excavate and restore.

Can Every Sewer Be Lined?

No.

The existing pipe must have enough structural integrity for a liner to be properly installed. A completely collapsed sewer, badly misaligned pipe, severe belly, or certain types of structural damage may require excavation.

That is why the camera inspection is so important.

Traditional Sewer Repair and Replacement

Sometimes excavation is still the best—and safest—solution.

If a sewer pipe has collapsed, separated significantly, developed a severe low spot, or suffered structural failure, the damaged section may need to be physically exposed and replaced.

Traditional sewer repair may involve:

1. Locating the damaged section of sewer.
2. Excavating down to the existing pipe.
3. Removing the broken or deteriorated piping.
4. Installing new code-approved sewer pipe and fittings.
5. Properly pitching and bedding the new piping.
6. Backfilling and restoring the excavated area as required.

Although excavation is more invasive than sewer lining, it provides direct access to the damaged pipe and allows problems involving pitch, alignment, or collapsed piping to be properly corrected.

Sewer Lining vs. Sewer Repair: Which Is Better?

There isn’t one answer for every property.

The right solution depends on what is actually wrong with the sewer.

If the sewer is simply dirty or heavily restricted, hydro jetting may solve the problem.

If the pipe is cracked or deteriorated but still structurally suitable, sewer lining may provide a long-term repair without extensive excavation.

If the pipe is collapsed, badly separated, back-pitched, or structurally compromised, traditional sewer repair or replacement may be necessary.

In some situations, the best solution may even involve a combination of these services. A sewer may first need to be cleaned with hydro jetting before lining, or a small damaged section may need excavation before the remaining sewer can be lined.

Warning Signs You May Have a Sewer Problem

Don’t wait for sewage to start coming up through a basement floor drain.

Watch for these common warning signs:

• Drains throughout the house are running slowly
• Toilets frequently clog or gurgle
• Water backs up into tubs or floor drains
• Sewer odors are present inside or outside the property
• The sewer needs to be rodded repeatedly
• Multiple fixtures back up at the same time
• You notice unusually wet or sunken areas in the yard
• Tree roots repeatedly enter the sewer
• Your sewer line is older and has never been inspected

Recurring sewer backups are especially important to investigate. If you’re having the same line cleaned over and over again, there may be an underlying structural problem that sewer rodding alone cannot correct.

Preventative Sewer Maintenance Can Save You From an Emergency

Many sewer emergencies don’t happen overnight.

Grease builds up. Roots grow into joints. Older pipes deteriorate. Small cracks become larger. Deposits slowly reduce the inside diameter of the sewer.

A preventative sewer inspection allows these problems to be identified before they turn into a sewage backup or emergency excavation.

For properties with a history of sewer problems, scheduled camera inspections and hydro jetting can be an effective preventative maintenance strategy.

Don’t Guess What’s Happening Underground

Your sewer line is one of the most important—and most overlooked—systems on your property.

If you’re experiencing recurring backups, slow drains, sewer odors, or other warning signs, the solution shouldn’t start with guessing.

It should start with identifying the problem.

Whether your sewer needs professional hydro jetting, trenchless sewer lining, spot repair, or complete sewer replacement, the goal should always be the same: recommend the repair that properly addresses the problem while minimizing unnecessary disruption and expense.

Having Sewer Problems?

Don’t wait for a small sewer issue to become a major backup.

Contact us today to schedule a sewer camera inspection, sewer jetting service, sewer lining consultation, or sewer repair evaluation. We’ll inspect the line, explain what we find, and discuss the repair options available for your property.

A clear look inside your sewer today could prevent a much bigger problem tomorrow.

Cahill proudly serves the following communities: Antioch, Arlington Heights, Barrington, Buffalo Grove, Carol Stream, Crystal Lake, Deerfield, Des Plaines, Elk Grove Village, Evanston, Fort Sheridan, Fox Lake, Fox River Grove, Glencoe, Glenview, Grayslake, Great Lakes, Gurnee, Highland Park, Highwood, Hoffman Estates, Kenilworth, Lake Bluff, Lake Forest, Lake Villa, Lake Zurich, Libertyville, Lincolnshire, Morton Grove, Mount Prospect, Mundelein, North Chicago, Northbrook, Palatine, Park Ridge, Prospect Heights, Rolling Meadows, Schaumburg, Skokie, Vernon Hills, Wadsworth, Wauconda, Waukegan, Wheeling, Wilmette, Winnetka, Winthrop Harbor, Zion