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Sewer Services

Sewer Line Replacement

Sewer Line Replacement

There are two types of sewer systems: storm water systems and sanitary sewers. Storm water systems or drains carry rainwater, ground water and road runoff water to an open body of water, such as streams, lakes and oceans. Sanitary sewers, however, carry wastewater from residential and commercial buildings to a treatment plant where the contaminants in the water can be removed.

Since the 1930s, storm drains and sanitary drains have been installed separately to prevent cross contamination. In a residence,the home's drain system is connected to the city sewer by an underground pipe called a lateral line, usually 4 to 6 inches in diameter, installed at a slope to use gravity for water flow.

sanitary sewer (also called a foul sewer and a covered sewer) is an underground carriage system specifically for transporting sewage from houses and commercial buildings through pipes to treatment or disposal. Sanitary sewers serving industrial areas also carry industrial wastewater. The system of sewers is called sewerage.

The size of the home's drain piping is determined by the amount of flow possible and the type of waste material anticipated. For example, a bathroom sink usually has low volume and little if any solids in the water. These pipes are normally 1 ¼ inches in diameter. Bathtub, washing machine and kitchen sink drains carry larger volumes, with food and other solids possible in the kitchen sink. Therefore, a larger diameter pipe is necessary, usually 1 ½ inches in diameter.

Any plumbing beneath the house is large enough to accept the flow from the fixture drains. A 2-inch diameter pipe is common. All of these drains flow into the toilet drain to exit the building, so the toilet drain is the largest and matches the lateral line going to the city sewer system.

All sewers deteriorate with age, but infiltration/inflow is a problem unique to sanitary sewers, since both combined sewers and storm drains are sized to carry these contributions. Holding infiltration to acceptable levels requires a higher standard of maintenance than necessary for structural integrity considerations of combined sewers. A comprehensive construction inspection program is required to prevent inappropriate connection of cellar, yard, and roof drains to sanitary sewers. The probability of inappropriate connections is higher where combined sewers and sanitary sewers are found in close proximity, because construction personnel may not recognize the difference.

Experts say how long a sewer will last depends on various factors that affect its integrity, but if your sewer is 40 years old, it may need replacing.

Even if your home is new, its plumbing might be connected to an older pipe.

At REI Plumbing we first analyze the status of your sewerage system and then we can offer your a free quote about how and how much it costs to replace the sewer line. Sometime we can use also a trenchless sewer replacement. What is it? It’s exactly what it sounds like, we won’t need to dig your old piping out. We can use the current tunnel the pipe sits in, to replace it with new piping. All while keeping your home and landscaping relatively undisturbed.

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For all your plumbing needs contact us now. We serve Magnolia and the Montgomery County, Texas!