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Underground pipes are often installed in segments. These segments can range anywhere from 2’ to 20’ or more. Sometimes some of these sections will shift causing their alignment to become offset.

Most sewer lines built from the 1800’s all the way up through the mid-1980’s were constructed by putting together a large number of short pipe sections. These sections were usually made of clay and were anywhere from 2’ to 4’ in length. Typically, these sections of pipe were stuck together using either concrete, coal tar, oakum, rubber gaskets, and sometimes, nothing at all. These seals are known to wash away over time, leaving the joints of each of these sections of pipe exposed to roots, soil erosion, and shifting.

When the sealers wear away, it allows the pipe to settle down into the “hub” of a connected pipe which will result in a slight offset.

Another main cause of offset pipes is roots. The same way roots can push up and around a concrete sidewalk, they can also move your pipes around causing them to become disjointed and unaligned. When roots are the cause for your pipes disjointing, they can push their way in and further damage the line.

Naturally, any lack of alignment in your pipes is a problem and should be remedied as soon as possible.

The most obvious problem in offset joints is the potential to block up your sewer lines. Various debris and waste can catch on the lip of the offset piece of pipe and build up until it becomes a major problem.

Another potential issue is further root intrusion. Once there is any type of gap in your pipes roots will eventually find their way in. Because the roots will be drawn to the moisture and waste (fertilizer) in your pipes, they will eventually expand and further damage the integrity of your sewer line.

A third and more serious issue with offsets in your sewer system is the hole itself. A hole in your system means that sewage will be escaping from the pipes. As the sewage flows out it will take dirt with it little by little, which can eventually cause a sinkhole.

If you suspect you may have offset joints or any other type of blockage we will gladly camera your line and find out for sure. Just call (253) 331-1206 or click here to request an appointment button on this site to get started today!

Offset Joints and Sewer Problems

Tim Paulk, the Lead Excavation Technician, working with 160 ft. trench, digging about 30in. deep and installing 1in. HDPE polyethylene water pipe from the water source all the way to the house.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NcjeMoBWdNM

Open Trench Water Line Installation

No matter what your sewer lines are made of, they are susceptible to sags and bellys. A sag, or belly in your pipe means that part of it has sunk down to a lower level than the rest of the line.

If your sewer lines are made of PVC, they are more susceptible to sags. That being said, a sag or belly can happen in any type of sewer line. Bellies occur over time wherever piping was not properly bedded when installed. Bedding the sewer line is the process of preparing the area around the pipeline to prevent future problems.

Unfortunately, if your pipes do end up with a belly, the only way to repair them is manually.

When a belly is formed, it will hold water. This is much like the P-Trap in your home that holds water under any given drain. While some bellies do not cause problems to the home or sewer system, but problems can still occur.

One of the main problems that can occur when there is a belly in your sewer system is build up. If paper or other solids settle in the belly, they can cause what’s known as a “soft blockage.”While a soft blockage can be inconvenient, they can usually be remedied by a plumbing professional through the use of a manual sewer auger.

Alternatively, if the clog is too severe for a normal sewer auger to handle we might need to apply a hydro jetter. A hydro jetter is a high-powered stream of water that can break apart even the most stubborn clogs.

Even if a belly in your sewer line is not causing any apparent issues at the moment, it is still highly recommended that you replace or repair that section of pipe before things get worse. By tackling the issue head on right now, you will be able to prevent headaches in the future, and minimize the amount of money you will inevitably need to spend on unclogging backed-up sewer lines.

If you suspect that there is a belly or low spot in your sewer line, feel free to give us a call at (253) 331-1206 and we will send one of our skilled technicians to assess the situation. Here at Harts Services, we are able to scope sewer lines through the use of a camera snake. This will show any issues that may exist in your pipes, and allow us to locate the exact problem area. Low spots and bellies in sewer pipes included. Call now!

Sags and Bellys in Sewer Pipes

Cracks and fractures in your sewer lines affect the structural integrity of your pipelines. They also allow the infiltration of clean groundwater into your wastewater system.

Cracks and fractures inside sewer pipes may have a variety of different causes, including:

Once a crack in a pipe becomes large enough to expose soil to the system, it is considered a hole and requires immediate open trench or trenchless sewer repair depending on your situation.

There are three levels of fracture that may occur in a sewer line:

While a minor fracture in a pipe will not have any severe effect in the function of your sewer line, they do have the opportunity and inclination to become bigger and more of a nuisance over time. It’s recommended that you get pipes with minor fractures re-inspected three to five years after the initial inspection to determine whether the severity is increasing.

A moderate crack or fracture could very well affect the working condition of your sewer lines. If you have moderate cracks in your pipes, they are more than likely increasing in severity over time. Cracks that have root intrusions or exposed aggregate in concrete pipes are considered moderate, or even severe. Pipes with moderate cracks should be inspected every one or two years. If they appear to be increasing in severity, it is recommended that you have them inspected more often than that. If you are a property owner and are experiencing moderate to severe cracking in your side sewers, you should begin budgeting and planning for repairs.

If a crack or fracture is considered severe, that means that it is either in its full effect of compromising your sewer lines or your lines are already on their way to collapsing and causing a full-on structural failure of the pipe. Severe cracks and fractures should be repaired 

CALL HARTS SERVICES FOR EXPERT SEWER REPAIR

If you suspect that you may have cracks or fractures in your sewer lines, no matter what the severity, feel free to give us a call at 

 to request an appointment and we will send one of our skilled technicians out with a camera to scope your pipes. We are experts in assessing and remedying sewer line issues and are happy to serve you!

Cracks and Fractures in Sewer Lines

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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