A sewer line belly can be a very dangerous issue, which is why this plumbing repair requires professional help!
A sewer line belly, also known as bellying or sagging, is a plumbing term that refers to a dip or low point within an underground drainage or sewer pipe. This type of dip usually creates a U-shape curvature within the pipe, which detrimentally impacts the flow of wastewater and other plumbing debris.
Sewer line bellies are usually very serious plumbing issues due to their ability to create clogs, trap solid materials, and eventually lead to serious blockages. They can also impede a main sewer system’s efficiency, which can lead to sewer line repairs and even water main replacements.
Below we’ll be detailing what sewer line bellies are, how they occur, what plumbing problems they cause, common warning signs, and what’s involved with repairing them!
How Common Are Sewer Line Bellies?
Sewer line bellies are a constant concern throughout northern Utah, and this is partly due to the sandy, loose soil conditions that can sometimes shift after heavy rains and spring snowmelt. Our region’s climate can often exacerbate soil erosion and ground shifting, which is a huge contributor toward sewer line repairs like bellies.
Northern Utah’s rapid urban expansion has also changed the valley’s natural landscape, which can sometimes impact sewer line stability. Other factors that contribute to the occurrence of sewer line bellies include the plumbing infrastructure’s maintenance and age.
Professional plumbing maintenance and routine inspections can drastically support northern Utah homeowners with detecting and addressing sewer line bellies far before they escalate into serious dilemmas!
How Exactly Do Sewer Line Bellies Happen?
Sewer line bellies are usually caused by ground shifting or settling, which is usually caused by things like poor plumbing installations, soil composition changes, and soil erosion. Over long periods of time, soil changes can cause a pipe depression, which means that the pipe will sag in a specific spot.
This sagging quickly leads to waste and debris accumulation, which is why it’s essential to detect and address a sewer line belly as early as possible. Our team of Master Plumbers will use state-of-the-art tools like pipe inspection cameras to pinpoint the exact location of your belly, as well as the overall extent of the sagging.
These high-definition details will help us to recommend the correct course of action for your specific sewer line belly, which usually will be either a pipe lining repair or a replacement of the piping material.
What Plumbing Problems Do Sewer Line Bellies Create?
A sewer line belly can lead to many different plumbing issues, and these issues tend to get worse when unaddressed.
The first issue that will likely occur is insufficient wastewater flow, which leads to noticeable problems like recurring clogs, slow drains, and backups. Over time, debris accumulation within the belly will lead to unsanitary conditions, foul smells, and dangerous bacteria buildup. Sewer line bellies can even cause a pipe to lose its structural integrity, which means the pipe will become more susceptible to leaks, cracks, and collapse.
All of these plumbing issues can result in dangerous property damages, which usually entail extensive repairs and health hazards. This is why sewer line bellies have to be taken seriously, which means home and business owners must reach out to professional plumbers for assistance when they suspect that their sewer line is bellying.
What Are The Common Warning Signs Of A Sewer Line Belly?
Because sewer line bellies occur underground, they’re usually pretty challenging for property owners to detect. However, there are some common red flags that you should be on the lookout for when it comes to potential sewer line bellying, and some of these warning signs include:
- Slow drains
- Toilet issues
- Frequent clogs
- Foul odors
- Gurgling sounds
- Overflows & backups
- Strange lush spots in your yard
Do Sewer Line Bellies Have To Be Replaced, Or Can They Be Repaired?
Whether or not a sewer line belly requires a replacement will largely depend upon the overall extent of the sagging, as well as the correlating issues that it’s causing a property’s plumbing system.
Minor bellies typically don’t need to be replaced, because they can actually be rectified through noninvasive, trenchless methods like pipe lining. This involves placing a new pipe liner within an existing pipe and restoring the pipe to its original shape.
However, severe sags will usually require a pipe replacement.
What’s Involved In A Sewer Line Belly Repair Appointment?
There’s a systematic process that goes into every sewer line belly repair appointment, and here’s a quick overview of the involved steps:
1. Inspection
These appointments always begin with a comprehensive inspection using tech-savvy tools like pipe inspection cameras. These cameras go directly into a sewer line, and they’re capable of pinpointing the exact location (and severity) of a pipe’s belly or sag.
This camera footage will help our specialists to more accurately assess your sewer line belly problem, which will then dictate the rest of the repair strategy.
2. Excavation
In scenarios in which the sewer line belly is beyond repair, excavation might be necessary. This means that our team will carefully dig up a small section of your sewer line until we expose the damaged area.
The overall size of these excavations will depend upon the extent of the bellying and the specific location within your pipeline. The good news is that our pipe inspection cameras will help us to make precise excavations, while minimizing the disruptions to your yard.
3. Pipe Lining Repair or Replacement
It’s also possible to repair minor sags through cutting-edge repair processes known as pipelining. This repair utilizes a strong epoxy that’s inserted into your pipe in order to essentially recreate your pipe’s shape. However, this approach is only possible when addressing minor sags.
In more severe cases, bellying pipes will need to be replaced with a brand-new section of sewer pipe. This type of replacement will almost always require an excavation, which means you’ll need the help of plumbing experts and their professional-grade equipment.
Reach Out To Our Sewer Line Belly Experts When Your Northern Utah Property Needs Attention!
Beehive Plumbing is a top-rated plumbing company that supports Salt Lake City Utah and the entire northern Utah region. Our specialists have decades of experience supporting both homes and businesses, and we’ve come across countless sewer line bellies that require professional support to fix.
Reach out to us online or call us at 801-849-3854 to get in touch with our sewer line belly experts today!
