Sewer Line Woes? How a Simple Cleanout Repair Saved This Homeowner Thousands
This past week, a homeowner in Westchase, Tampa, FL, was facing a potential plumbing nightmare. After a previous plumber suggested a costly sewer line replacement, they called us at Sewer Studs for a second opinion. It turns out their gut feeling was right, and a much simpler, cheaper repair was all that was needed.
A Gut Feeling and a Second Opinion
We got a call from a homeowner in Westchase who was a bit uneasy about a quote they received. Another plumber had come out, done a camera inspection, and told them they needed a sewer spot repair. This usually means digging up a section of the yard to replace a damaged part of the sewer line. The quote was over $4,000, which is a lot of money. The homeowner felt something wasn't quite right, so they reached out to us.
My gut feeling, based on 13 years of plumbing experience, told me there might be a simpler explanation. Sometimes, what looks like a major sewer line issue is actually caused by something much smaller, like a problem with a cleanout riser. A cleanout is an access point to the sewer line, and the riser is the pipe that sticks up from the ground to make it accessible.
Key Takeaways
Trust Your Instincts: If a quote seems too high or something feels off, get a second opinion.
Camera Inspections Aren't Always Enough: The interpretation of camera footage can vary. A good plumber will explain what they see and why.
Cleanout Issues Can Mimic Bigger Problems: Roots or damage at a cleanout can look like a sewer line break.
Simple Repairs Save Money: A cleanout repair is significantly cheaper than a full sewer line replacement.
The Camera Inspection
To figure out what was really going on, I headed over to the house. First, I introduced myself to the homeowner and explained my plan. I decided to run my camera down the vent stack. This is a common way to inspect the sewer line from the house out towards the street. It helps us see where any blockages or root intrusions might be.
From the roof, I sent the camera down the vent. About 70 feet into the line, the camera showed the problem clearly: roots were coming into the pipe. But here's the key part – they seemed to be entering right at the cleanout riser. This meant the main sewer line itself might be okay, and the issue was just at that access point.
Locating the Cleanout
Next, I went to the front yard to find the cleanout. The homeowner mentioned that the previous plumber had dug around for a while, about 2 to 3 feet deep, and couldn't find it. This struck me as odd. When I started digging, I found the cleanout very quickly. It was only about 1 foot 8 inches deep to the bottom of the pipe. It makes you wonder if the other plumber really knew what they were doing, or if they were just trying to push a more expensive job.
I used a probe to pinpoint the exact location and started digging. It's always a good feeling when you can confirm your initial diagnosis. I dug down and found the cleanout riser, just like I suspected. It was broken, and that's exactly how the roots were getting in.
The Repair Process
With the broken cleanout riser exposed, the repair was pretty straightforward. The main sewer line itself looked solid. The roots had entered through the damaged riser. My plan was to:
Pull out all the roots that had entered the sewer line.
Cut the broken riser pipe cleanly.
Attach a coupling.
Extend the riser pipe up about a foot.
Install a new cleanout cap.
I got a pair of pliers and pulled out the roots. Then, I cleared out any remaining dirt from the line. After cutting the old pipe and fitting the new pieces, the cleanout was extended and capped. This repair would allow the homeowner to access their sewer line in the future if needed, and more importantly, it stopped the root intrusion.
Job Well Done
Once the repair was complete, I backfilled the hole and cleaned up the work area. The homeowner was thrilled. Instead of a $4,000+ sewer line replacement, they ended up with a simple cleanout repair that cost less than $1,000. It just goes to show that sometimes, the simplest solution is the right one, and trusting your gut can save you a lot of money and hassle. Another job done right by Sewer Studs!
