Should you call your San Diego Plumber?
So you’re sitting at home, relaxing with a cup of coffee and looking forward to the day ahead when you notice a rusty smell overpowering the aroma of your coffee. Later, you hop in the shower only to be disappointed by low water pressure. What’s going on?
Signs You Need Sewer Repair
Both the rusty or foul smell and the low water pressure can be signs of sewer line failure – which is not a problem that you want to delay repairing. But these alone are not the only signs – symptoms of a sewer line gone bad include:
- Leaks
- Corrosion
- Rust or bad smell
- Pinhole leaks
- Slab Leaks
- Low water pressure
- Water meter moving even when the water is turned off
- Visual mold or water stains
- Warm spot in your floor
- Bursting of pipes
If you are experiencing any of the above, it’s time to call in a San Diego plumbing expert.
How is a failed sewer line repaired?
First, we need to determine the root of the problem and whether pipelining or a repipe is needed to restore functionality and safety.
Repipe
If your home was built prior to 1970, odds are that your plumbing includes galvanized piping. This type of plumbing is unfortunately prone to rusting from the inside out – which means that you may not see the condition of your piping until there is a definite issue. For homes built prior to 1970 that still contain galvanized piping, repiping is typically necessary. This involves replacing the galvanized piping with copper piping – a more durable material that not only lasts longer, but also enhances water pressure and volume, results in cleaner, fresher, rust-free-tasting water, and minimizes the likelihood of future expensive plumbing repairs.
Pipelining
In contrast, pipelining is a way of curing damaged plumbing by repairing the existing pipes in place. Pipelining allows us to line the interior of an already installed pipe with a liner of sorts – most typically a type of epoxy – that forms a thin barrier inside the pipe. We can often perform trenchless pipelining to avoid digging up your yard. This barrier not only acts as a type of new pipe in itself but also prevents any damaged particles from the older, existing pipe from entering your water supply.
Each home and each scenario is a bit different, your San Diego plumber will conduct a thorough assessment of your individual damage and the cause to determine which solution is a better fit. Pipelining is typically a more economical solution, but homes with galvanized plumbing are often better suited to repiping to prevent further damage and double expenditures. If your home was built after 1970, you may be a candidate for pipelining.
For additional information about pipelining and repiping, give us a call or contact via our website.