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Sewer cleaning is one of those tasks that you may put on the back burner and hope that it never has to happen. And in many cases, sewers will run free and clear for decades without so much as a blockage or back-up.

But the sewer is the main drain line of your dwelling, so when the sewer gets plugged virtually every drain in your house or home is plugged too.

In most cases, a plugged sewer can be something minor that even a simple snake can punch through, allowing the sewer to be functional again, at least for a short time anyway. But in many instances, when a sewer line gets plugged, it may need to be professionally cleaned, and if the actual line has been compromised by a broken pipe, or by tree roots which have invaded the sewer line, the pipe itself will need to be repaired.

There are 2 major types of sewer cleaners employed professionally, and each of them will give a good account of themselves, depending on the type of clog there is.

The first, and most common method of cleaning out a sewer, is by using a mainline cable machine. Essentially, this is like a giant-sized motorized snake that comes with its own motor and power supply. The difference between a consumer snake and a mainline cable machine are the different types of heads that can be added.These heads are called “cutter” heads, and they do just that. They cut through the clog or blockage in your sewer and effectively remove anything that gets in the way. There are double cutters, saw-toothed cutters, 4-blade cutters and others. A professional plumber will determine which head is right for your type of sewer drain, and in most cases, these heads will cut through and eliminate the clog.

The other type of drain cleaner is called hydro jetting. This employs a specialized water nozzle that blows high-pressure water into your sewer. The nozzle shoots water forwards, backwards and sideways, and the pressure is so great that the water jets will literally cut through anything in its path. Hydro jetting is used only for the most problematic and toughest clogs, but it is incredibly effective.

In the good old days, the only real way to repair a damaged sewer line was to get a trenching machine and dig up the sewer line for hands-on repair or replacement. Although effective, it is intrusive, expensive, tore up any grass or lawn, and generally makes a big mess. For extremely large sewer pipes or when there is no real alternative, trenching is still an accepted way to repair or replace sewer pipe.

Modern techniques with modern materials are quite a bit different. With even some of the most damaged pipe, sewer repair can be done without using a trenching machine and digging up the pipe. It’s called trenchless piping, and here’s how it works.

Most pipes that are clogged or leaking can be repaired without using a trencher. For clogging, leaking or corroded pipes, the interior can be cleaned thoroughly, and a cured in place, or CIPP liner, can be inserted and run through the pipe. This liner is considered a permanent solution and it will not corrode like a metal pipe will over time.

If the sewer pipe is damaged or broken, the best way to lay in a new pipe is by “bursting” the old one and threading a new pipe in its place.

A specialized bursting head runs through the old pipe, literally expanding and bursting the circumference, while a new flexible pipe is dragged through behind the head. In this way, the only hole that needs to be dug are an entry and an exit, which does minimal damage to the surrounding landscape while allowing access to the original pipe.

Using these new sewer cleaning and pipe repair methods can reduce overall sewer drain cleaning cost and repair. For more information about sewer cleaning or sewer repair, call the professionals at Harts Services. We do both residential and commercial visual inspections, cleaning, and plumbing repairs, covering all of the Tacoma and Pierce County, WA areas.

How Sewer Cleaning and Repair Gets Done

Any clogged pipe or sewage system back-up is a serious matter that typically requires immediate attention from a professional plumber, but when such problems become recurrent or are particularly severe, it is a sign you may have deeper problems. You may well need professional sewer line cleaning or replacement services.

In the past, sewer line repair costs, along with the time and “life disruption” sewer repair required, were all rather intense. But today, modern sewer line repair methods can eliminate the trench work, making the process fast, affordable, and just as effective.

Trenchless sewer line repair is generally accomplished by digging, at most, only two small entry points rather than a long excavation trench in your yard. Specialized cameras, cables, and other equipment are used to analyze the situation, remove clogs, clean out pipes, or re-line pipes. Trenchless repair is also used in replacing sewer lines from house to main without even having to dig up and remove the old pipes.

Trenchless sewer repair entails a number of different elements and services, depending on what your specific plumbing problem calls for, including these:

To locate blockages, grime build-up, or cracks in your sewer lines, a camera attached to the end of a cord is used. This piece of high-tech plumbing equipment lets inspectors see and assess problems without any need to dig and manually search for them. An inspection is also a good idea every couple years on older homes or on a new home you are thinking about buying.

The most common trenchless sewer line service by far is to remove clogs and clear/clean out the sewer lines from house to main. High-tech cable machines and hydro-jetters get the job done fast, and the same camera that identified the problem can be used again afterwards to verify the problem has indeed been solved.

Besides cleaning out sewer lines and ensuring they flow freely, it may become necessary to repair sections of existing pipe or to install brand new piping. One method used to accomplish this is called “pipe bursting.” This involves feeding a new pipe into an old one so that the old pipe is burst out of the way as the new pipe moves through it. A second method is “pipe boring,” which simply bores a hole in the ground and then feeds the pipe into that hole (when trenching is impractical or undesirable). Finally, “pipe re-lining” can be used to install a Cured In Place Pipe (CIPP), which is a “pipe within a pipe” that conforms to the contours of the outer (original) pipe so as to prevent leakage.

There are many benefits to using trenchless sewer repair over trenching. First, the lack of a trench means your landscaping is not damaged. It also eliminates the danger of someone tripping over or falling into an open trench.

Second, your sewer line is never exposed to the outside air, lowering risk of contamination and minimizing any unpleasant odors during the repair process.

Third, there will never be a need to tear up pavements, cut through tree roots, or move bricks, gravel, or other obstacles in your yard that lie in the path of the trench.

Fourth, trenchless sewer repair is the fastest method, usually being completed in a day or less. This prevents the inconvenience of having to function in a house without running water for a long period of time.

Fifth and finally, trenchless repairs usually cost a lot less. This stems from the fact that excavation takes time, labor, and heavy machinery, which all increase the overall costs of repairs.

While there may be some situations where trenching is necessary, in most cases, you are far better off utilizing trenchless methods to inspect, unclog, clean out, repair, or replace all or part of your sewer lines.

To learn more about trenchless sewer repair or to schedule a trenchless inspection or repair in Tacoma, WA, or throughout Pierce, Kitsap, or Mason Counties, contact Harts Services today by calling 

 or by filling out the online contact form.

Harts Services has long experience in trenchless sewer repair methods, serves both residential and commercial customers, and offers fast emergency response repairs where necessary. Check our past customers reviews.

The Methods and Effectiveness of Trenchless Sewer Repair

At Harts Services, we are leaders in trenchless and underground construction technologies.

As Tacoma’s sewer experts, we focus on drain cleaning, sewer camera inspections, hydro jetting, sewer spot repair and complete side sewer replacement.

Utilizing both open trench and trenchless technologies, we are the only company that does all our own pipe bursting and cure in place pipe relining in the Tacoma area.

We have over 10 years experience and are ready to serve you.

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Our Profile at Harts Services

When it comes to sewer repair, there are few things more important than pipe restoration. Luckily, with today’s technology there are methods of restoring pipes with very little, to no excavation required. The most popular of these trenchless methods are “pipe bursting” and “pipe lining” which will be discussed in detail below.

BURST THINGS FIRST (WHAT IS PIPE BURSTING?)

Pipe bursting is a way of replacing an entire pipe with a brand new High Density Polyethylene Pipe (Also known as HDPE). In addition to being non­toxic, and environmentally sustainable, this pipe is also resistant to corrosion and chemicals.

Pipe bursting is achieved by pulling a tool called a bursting head through an already existing pipe. This allows the new pipe to be pulled through while the bursting head breaks up the original damaged, or compromised pipe.

This is achieved through the use of a heavy cable which is attached to a hydraulic pulling machine. This machine is capable of pulling with up to 30 tons of force, and uses a hammering motion which helps the bursting head to thoroughly break up the original pipe, and ensure it will be out of the way.

Pipe lining is a way of repairing or replacing an already existing pipe through the use of a Cured­In­Place pipe (or CIPP). CIPP is jointless, and seamless, as well as capable of restoring pipes anywhere from 0.1 to 2.8 meters (or 4 to 110 inches) in diameter.

This process is achieved with the use of a felt liner, which is saturated with resin and then pulled through the pre­existing damaged pipe. The liner is then cured typically with the use of hot water, uv light, or steam.

The end result from this method is a tight fitting replacement pipe within the original pipe which is jointless, and resistant to corrosion.

DECISIONS, DECISIONS… (PICKING THE RIGHT METHOD)

As with most things in life, there is no one cure all method for replacing or repairing compromised pipes. While both techniques mentioned above are non invasive, there are some conditions which can assist you in choosing the right one for the job.

In some areas the pipe may be too deep to burst. For example, in the northwest, sewer lines are much deeper, because they have to be built below the frost line. In these areas pipe lining is a more common method because it is more cost effective. Lining is also best used for pipes that run under buildings.

However, if the pipe you are replacing has lost its integrity (such as becoming oval shaped or crushed) bursting is the best of the two methods discussed for this situation.

Of course if you are having pipe problems, the best thing to do is research every available technique, and consult with your local plumber.

A Midsummer Pipe's Dream (Bursting vs. Lining)

Anything you need to keep water flowing through your home or business facility, our plumbing company can handle it! Why do any of the dirty work yourself when there are skilled, experienced sewer pipe experts right in your backyard? Our company provides sewer pipe repair, maintenance, and installation, as well as 

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Customer service and answered the phone was pleasant and helpful. Person who came on site to discuss the work was thorough, gave great advice, and made suggestions for future planning.

Hart's Services got here about 3 hours after calling them. Very courteous and helpful with going over my options for all of my plumbing needs. They are getting our emergency repair work completed for a reasonable rate.

Very friendly, very knowledgeable. Made replacing my whole sewer line as painless as possible.

Quality Plumbing Services in the Tacoma Area

At Harts Services, our #1 priority is your utmost satisfaction. We won’t just show up at your location and provide easy fixes that will eventually come undone, causing you more aggravation and costing you more money. Our plumbers provide lasting results at affordable prices, holding themselves to the highest standard for excellence in every job they undertake. We also offer peace of mind inspections, maintenance plans, and customer education to ensure complete peace of mind today and in the future.

When Others Say They Can't, We Say We Can!

Harts has amazing customer service and responded promptly to our plumbing emergency! Chris has been to our home in the past and is very knowledgeable and professional. Harts is a great local company to work with.

I was so happy to finally get my faucets outside my house fixed. Anytime I turned them on they dripped, dripped, dripped. Now I have frost free hose bibs and no drips! Thanks Harts!

Harts Services is a very professional company. We called because our sewer was backing up into our home and they had someone at our house within the hour.

Fast service, excellent follow-up, and Tim who performed the service was excellent and easy to work with. Will definitely use again if needed.

Thank you Chris McAlister from Harts Services. The service was professional, quick but thorough. Thank you

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