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Structural defects or obstructions (such as sags, root intrusions, or offset joints) in a pipe can cause debris to build up. Debris buildup can also occur when inappropriate items are flushed or poured down your drains. This buildup of debris will cause the flow of your pipes to become obstructed, and if severe enough may cause them to back up altogether.

Alternatively, if your pipes are not constructed at the recommended ¼” drop per foot of pipe the flow of liquid will not be strong enough to wash solids through.

Paper towels, baby wipes, eggshells, coffee grounds, dental floss, scrub pads, feminine hygiene products, and grease are all examples of things you should never flush or let go down a drain (even when advertised as “flushable”).

Even hot grease will cool very quickly once it reaches the underground pipe, and will stick to the walls. This will cause your sewer lines to either slow down or completely back up. Grease is one of the more common causes of slow or backed up side sewers.

Debris buildup may also be a result of offset joints, sags, structural defects, or roots in your sewer lines.

There are three basic levels of debris buildup you may experience:

Minor buildups can be described as reducing a pipe’s capacity by less than 25 percent. Minor debris buildup that isn’t the result of structural defects should not cause any problems in your sewer lines and may be washed away in times of high water usage. If minor grease buildup is evident, you should remove sources of grease from the pipe immediately to reduce the chances of a backup. If the slope of your pipe is inadequate, it is recommended you get them re-inspected. This is especially important if your pipes are starting to show signs of slowing or stopping.

Debris or grease is considered moderate when they reduce the pipe’s capacity by 25 to 50 percent. If moderate debris buildup is caused by an insufficient slope, it is recommended that your pipes are cleaned routinely to avoid causing a severe buildup (which will eventually lead to a backup). If the costs of cleaning are comparable to the cost of a repair, you might choose to go that route instead. If you are experiencing moderate debris buildup due to structural defects, you should begin budgeting for future repairs. For pipes that are experiencing grease buildup without structural defects, the pipes may be cleaned to remove the grease.

Severe debris or grease is classified as having your pipe’s capacity reduced to at least 50 percent or being at least 50 percent full of grease. If the debris buildup is caused by an insufficient slope, the pipe will need to be reconstructed or routinely cleaned. If the debris is caused by structural defects such as roots, holes, or sags the defect will need to be repaired. If you are experiencing a severe grease build up, the pipes should be cleaned to eliminate the grease, and care should be taken to eliminate the source to prevent future backups. Our Tacoma sewer and drain repair team can help you every step of the way with this!

If you are experiencing debris or grease trapped in your sewer lines, give us a call at (253) 331-1206 or click here to request an appointment, and we will have one of our skilled technicians out to you in no time!

Debris and Grease in Sewer Lines

Sewer inspections are a relatively cheap, pain-free way to understand more about what is happening in your pipes. It can’t be stressed enough how important it is to know the state that your pipes are in, and with a camera inspection, this can easily be figured out. While most companies can charge up to $200 or $300 dollars for a camera scope, we can do one for just $89 through a clean out. When you keep in mind that side sewer repairs or replacements can cost anywhere from $5000 to $15,000 dollars, you begin to realize just how imperative a sewer scope can be.

A side sewer inspection is accomplished by sending a small camera at the end of a snake through your pipes. Ideally, this would be done through a clean out, however, if a clean out is unavailable, it might have to be done through a sink or toilet. With this camera, we will be able to see any damage or blockages that might be obstructing your pipes. The video from the camera can be watched on a small monitor so you can see your pipes in real time. If damage or blockages are found, the camera can be located from above-ground using a device aptly called: a locator. This will allow the technician to assess the situation without having to excavate an entire trench.

The need to know what’s happening in your sewer system dates back about as far as sewer systems have existed. The difference now is that we can actually see, and pinpoint problems rather than making an educated (or uneducated) guess as to where they may be. If you are unsure about the state of your pipes, it is highly suggested that you schedule a sewer scope even if you aren’t having any current issues. Getting a camera scope now can save you trouble and money in the future. Another upside to getting a camera inspection is the video itself. When we come out and scope your sewer, we will give you a copy of the video for your records. Having a recorded video inspection is a fantastic resource for both your own records and for the record of anyone who happens to do work on your sewer.

Of course, if you would like to schedule an inspection, we would be happy to help. You can contact us through our website, or via our office number at (253) 331-1206. We will send one of our technicians out promptly to scope and assess your side sewer.

What to Expect When You're Inspecting

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

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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