I am sure from the time you were old enough to speak and have an opinion, your parents told you “Get your mind out of the gutter!” I am going to tell you why you need to keep your mind in the gutter. The spring is a time for lots of rain and ground softening as temperatures rise. This creates pressure on your sewer line which runs from the front of your home to the gutter at the street.

Say No to Cracks
When spring has sprung the tree roots become supercharged and will seek out any source of water, including the sewer line from your home. If you have ever seen ivy growing up the side of a chimney of a home, it is damaging the brick and concrete, even though it is pretty. Now imagine the size and strength of a giant tree root that strangles your sewer pipe. The long and steady pressure over time can crack the line, allowing the sewage to leak 6 feet under your front lawn.

These are the different types of materials you may find as a sewer line.
  • Galvanized Steel – 80 to 100-year lifespan
  • Brass – 80-to-100-year lifespan
  • Copper – 70-to-80-year lifespan
  • Cast Iron – Up to 100-year lifespan
  • PVC – 25-to-40-year lifespan
  • Signs you should not ignore!
  • Leaks- you know this can be ugly!
  • Low Water Pressure – Often low water pressure can be due to clogs which can be resolved through hydro
  • scouring, but it can also be a broken pipe.
  • Metallic Taste and Pipe Rust – If your water starts to become discolored and begins to have a metallic
  • taste, call us for free water analysis.

New Home Myth

I have been a vendor at local festivals for Pipe Works Services and spoken to young couples that recently purchased a brand-new home in Chatham, NJ. The problem is not with the quality of the home, it is with the antiquated sewer line that is connected to it. Builders rarely do a camera inspection and then build a much larger home than was previously connected to that line for years. Over time metal corrodes inside the sewer line making the passageway narrower. Think about what cholesterol does to your arteries, it’s similar. Now a family of 4 moves into the home with kids, that always flush too much toilet paper and other things when you aren’t looking. Then the worst-case scenario is that clogs/raw sewage then backs up into your basement which ruins everything it touches. I hope your homeowner’s insurance policy covers it. Now you have 2 options to fix the problem, dig up the entire front lawn to the curb or use Pipe Lining with a small area dig. There are also cases where a sewer line goes under a driveway, which then means the cost of a new driveway. Pipe Lining is the answer at this point, additionally, Pipe Lining is half the time to repair. Who wants to endure that inconvenience for more than a day or two?

Pipes Breaking the Law

Currently, there are some towns in New Jersey that require a camera inspection of a sewer line when a home is for sale. There is also legislation before the State Senate on this issue as well.
If you are experiencing any of these issues and you are concerned, call us and we can put your mind at ease! (973) 657-5771 or info@pwsnj.com

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