Homeowners in Winnipeg are well aware that the cost of sewer line repair is an expensive undertaking. Repairing or replacing the underground wastewater line which runs from your house to the city sewer system, is a messy, time-consuming, and expensive task. Let’s see why this might be necessary:
Historically, the sewer line runs underground, from the front of the house to the edge of the property, and connects to the city sewer system. The vast majority of these underground pipes are made of clay, which actually is a surprisingly strong material, and should last many decades, often even 100 years. These clay pipes were produced in sections of 3 or 4 feet long, and connected to one another to form a long almost continuous pipe.
But Winnipeg is also known for a couple of things: trees and shifting ground.
Why you might need sewer line repair or replacement
Shifting ground can cause cracks in the clay pipe, and tree roots, always on the hunt for water, are drawn to those cracks. And remember those joints in the pipe, every 3 or 4 feet? Over time, tree roots find them as well, and force their way in.
Many of Winnipeg’s older neighborhoods, such as Elmwood, East Kildonan, River Heights, Crescentwood, the West End, North End, and Downtown for example, feature homes built in the 1960s and older. These homeowners will face issues with toilets and showers not flushing properly, often due to tree roots blocking the drainage in the underground pipe.
For a few hundred dollars, a qualified plumber can clean those roots out, returning your system to a ‘normal’ state.
However, slow draining, or even blocked drainage pipes are just the first indicator of more serious trouble brewing.
Clay sewer pipe that has been affected by tree roots. Worker undertaking sewer line repair
More serious problems with your sewer line
Over the years, the underground pipes will continue to get worse. Tree roots, as they expand, may crush or crack those pipes, and eventually the homeowner is faced with the expensive task of replacing that underground line.
By the way, many home insurance companies offer a ‘Rider’ which includes ‘Service Line Protection”. For as little as $50/year, the home owner can insure against the horrendous costs of replacing the line, which often costs 10’s of thousands of dollars.
Enter technology and innovation to cut that cost approximately in half. My good friend Jake Silvestri of Mr. Rooter introduced me to a new system that allows their company to completely ‘re-line’ existing pipes with a resin product, at about half the cost of digging up and replacing the entire line.
This resin injection is seamless, preventing tree roots from entering the pipe in the future. Life expectancy is similar to getting a new pipe and is expected to last many decades.
Take a look at this neat video of the sewer line before and after, to get a clear picture of what is happening.
These resin sleeves can go around bends and corners, and run continuously for 100’s of feet without a seam. They can be used in any old underground pipe, so long as that pipe is less than 50% compromised.
It should be noted that some digging will still be required, but overall the process is less intrusive than total pipe replacement, and again, half the cost. And you don’t have to dig up your entire yard, or even worse, break up a concrete driveway.
So if you are living in an older home, first check to make sure you have ‘service line protection’ as part of your home insurance.
And IF your front sewer line fails to perform its intended duty, and you need sewer line repair consider this alternative to the more expensive and intrusive method of total pipe replacement.
Jake Silvestri of Mr. Rooter Underground in Winnipeg states:
“We have done relines for 9 years now and have completed over 200 to date, and over 4 kilometres of individual sewer lines. We have newer technology that allows us to do spot repairs as well as entire lines.”
Contact Jake Silvestri.
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About the Publisher
Bo Kauffmann is a residential real estate agent with over 18 yrs experience in helping buyers and sellers achieve their goals. Inducted into the REMAX Hall of Fame in 2010 and receiving the REMAX Lifetime Achievement Award in 2019, Bo has sold over 500 houses and condos in the Greater Winnipeg market. He is an accredited buyer representative (A.B.R.) and a Luxury Home Marketing Specialist.
Bo provides exceptional service to First-Time Home-Buyers, Seniors looking to downsize and Home Sellers of all ages.
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ESCO
Thank you for sharing! Tree roots and branches can be a great threat to sewer lines, indeed.
Bo Kauffmann
This new method will save home owners money and a lot of headache