Sewer line repair in Round Rock

What the work involves

The sewer line carries wastewater from the house out to the City’s main. The City says all drains in your home flow to the same sewer line. When that line is blocked or broken, the trouble shows up in more than one fixture.

The first step is to see the problem. A plumber runs a small camera through the line and watches a screen. The camera shows a block, a crack, a sag, or a root. Ask to see the footage or a screenshot, and ask where on the line the problem sits.

Then the plumber explains the repair options. Ask them to tell you why they chose one, what the alternatives are, and how much of your yard or driveway will be dug up.

Who is responsible for which part of the line is a real question. The City page on wastewater does not say. Ask the plumber, and call the City utility at the number on its wastewater page before you spend money.

Signs that point to the sewer line

• More than one drain is slow or backing up at the same time
• Gurgling from a toilet or drain when another fixture runs
• Sewage smell in the house or in the yard
• Wet, soft or unusually green patches in the yard
• A drain that clogs again soon after it was cleared
• Water or sewage coming up in a floor drain, tub or shower
• A plumber who cleared a drain and says the block is farther down

What the repair options are

The camera result decides which of these fits. NASSCO, the trade association for sewer service companies, describes each of them.

• Spot repair. This fixes one local defect in the pipe. It suits a single damaged section.
• Lining. Cured-in-place lining makes a new, seamless pipe inside the old one, so there is less digging.
• Pipe bursting. A bursting head is pulled through the old pipe. It breaks the old pipe apart and a new pipe goes in behind it.
• Dig and replace. The plumber opens a trench and puts in a new section. Ask when this is the right choice.

What changes the price

Sewer jobs vary more than almost any plumbing work. A written scope matters here.

• The camera inspection, and whether its cost is credited if you hire the same plumber
• How long the damaged section is, and how deep
• The repair method the plumber recommends
• What lies over the pipe: lawn, driveway, patio, trees or a slab
• Whether roots or a collapsed section have to be cleared first
• Permits and inspections, if your job needs them
• Restoring the lawn, concrete or landscaping, which is often not included