Kirkwood, MO, Sewer Repair. When sewage is spilling into your home, you're facing major problems. If the spill isn't quickly addressed, waste leaks and backups can create hazards to your wellbeing, destruction of property, and additional problems that often are expensive and attention demanding to take care of. At Signature Plumbing, our mission is to providing you with sewer repair services fast.

In this article, you'll learn about the bases, dangers, and repair process for sewer issues in Kirkwood, MO. Continue to learn more about:

  • Indicators that your home could use sewer repair services
  • Common causes of damage to sewer lines in Kirkwood
  • Problems you'll encounter if you don't repair your sewer right away

Our plumbing contractors are ready to take care of your MO house's plumbing needs. Speak with one of our representatives at (636) 742-2533 or contact us online to plan a repair.

Sewer Repair Article Summary

Sewer repairs can be very different from one another, and the damage can give off many symptoms. On this page, we discuss common signs that repairs are needed, some of the regular causes of sewer line damage, how we perform repairs, and what can happen if you don't get it fixed.

You can jump ahead to a specific section using the links below:

4 Signs That Your Sewer Line is Broken in Kirkwood

Broken sewer lines can show different signs, even for the same cause, for homes in Kirkwood, MO. But there are some common warning signs to be aware of. Most symptoms fall into one of the following buckets – if your home is experiencing one or (especially) several symptoms, give us a call so we can perform an inspection and/or sewer repair:

  1. Drains Backing Up, particularly if you see it in the basement. When water is flowing back up multiple drains across your house, this almost always means that something further down the chain is the root cause (in many cases, your sewer line). You see this the most often in your basement because it's the last stop before water exits your home into the sewer.
  2. Nasty Odors near your drains or at spots in your landscaping. A moldy or fecal smell is a key giveaway that you need sewer repair services. Drains are common locations for this due to sewage backups, and in your yard if there is a leak in the pipe running underground.
  3. Persistent Wet Spots in your lawn, and extra vibrant patches of grass. As with point 2, when your sewer is leaking under your landscaping, sewage flows out into it. The wet spots are typically located around the broken piece of pipe. And grass will often look a richer shade of green as it absorbs nutrients from the wastewater.
  4. Gurgling Noises after you flush or send water down your drains. Gurgling noises indicates that there is air somewhere in your pipes. A small amount is to be expected, but excessive and high-frequency gurgling can mean that a crack somewhere in your home's plumbing is letting in extra air. If the gurgling always seems to be there, no matter which appliance you're using, the crack is more likely to be in your sewer line.

Repeat and Widespread Drain Issues

Reading those symptoms, you might be asking yourself, "What's the difference in signs for a broken sewer and an appliance problem?" We're glad you asked – at first glance, a lot of the signs are the same. The most important distinction is where and how often the issues pop up in your home.

If you notice these symptoms more at lower levels in your home, it increases the chances that your sewer is the part that needs repairs. Because sewage typically flows down and out of your home at lower elevation points, if something's broken with the sewer line, it will be more noticeable there. That said, main sewer line breaks normally display widespread symptoms, so if you're seeing the same issue (odor, gurgling, etc.) is occurring in multiple appliances, there's a higher chance that you are in need of a sewer repair.

Relatedly, if you've tried to fix individual appliances and the problems are still present, there's a good chance the real problem is in your sewer. Cleaning or repairing an individual appliance only helps if there isn't something else further down the line that's the true cause.

Reasons Behind Sewer Line Problems

When working on the water and/or sewer line repairs, sometimes the issue is smaller. If you're lucky, the fix could be as straightforward as cleaning your sewer. But if the problems keep coming back, you might be dealing with the following:

  • Corrosion
  • Clogs/Blockages
  • Cross Bores
  • Tree Roots
  • Ground Shifting

Beyond these common ones, there are many possible origins behind Kirkwood, MO, sewage problems. Working with an expert professional plumber helps you properly diagnose the cause and plan a sewer repair quickly.

Need Sewer Repairs? Call Signature Plumbing Today!

How Do Sewer Line Repairs Work?

There are multiple sewer repair methods one can use in Kirkwood, MO, and using the right one for the problem will save you stress and money. Fortunately, an experienced master plumber will look for the best way to repair your sewer with minimal disruption to your life.

Assessing the situation with pipe inspections
We'll use one of our state-of-the-art drain cameras for a quick, yet in-depth, pipe inspection. Our cameras let us examine your home's plumbing from the inside out, and find the broken section of pipe.

Minimally invasive repair methods
For smaller damage/cracks, we can use pipe bursting, pipe lining, or sectional point repair methods for your sewer repair. These methods let us run our repairs through existing sewer pipes, avoiding digging up your whole yard.

Sewer line excavation
For larger issues, we might need to excavate your sewer line. This typically consists of digging a trench down to the sewer line, then conducting repairs before reburying it.

Sewer Cleanout Installation
If you want to lessen the impact of future repairs, you may want to consider installing a sewer cleanout. This is a ground-level pipe that goes down to your sewer line that can help with future sewer repairs, minimizing their disruption.

Plumbing Emergencies
Sometimes, the damage is widespread and you need help right away. If you're facing a plumbing emergency, we will send someone out to your right away to repair the problem.

On a less technical side, when you're getting set up for repairs, you can check with your local government for support. For example, St. Louis City and St. Louis County both may offer assistance programs that can help you out if your home is in the area.

Dangers of Damaged Sewer Lines in Kirkwood

A broken sewer line isn't just gross – the consequences go beyond your plumbing. While your sewer is broken and/or leaking, you're risking the following:

Health Hazards
It's probably not a surprise that sewage carries several harmful waste products. Bacteria, viruses, and parasites are all able to grow in your sewer lines. These can include Hepatitis A, Salmonella, dysentery, and E. coli. Being around sewage risks exposing you to all of these, whether you walk into a sewage puddle, a drip falls into a cut, or even if you just breathe in the fumes.

Property Damage
The damage doesn't stop at your sewer line. Cracks behind your walls and under your floors can result in wet rot, which will erode the structure of your house. Even worse, if it touches something electrical, it can cause short circuits and permanent damage. And if it gets on your furniture, it will probably be stained and ruined.

Environmental Harm
As the waste spreads, the pollution will damage the environment. In rivers, it can harm fish populations, while on land, mammals are in danger of contamination and health issues from the sewage. On top of that, some of the algae that feed on sewage give off toxic chemicals, exacerbating the damage.

Pest Attraction
Numerous pests are drawn to the nutrients in sewage. If you're noticing wet spots in your yard, you should be extra careful of this: Insects and rats can enter the line through holes in the pipe, then climb up into your home. In Missouri, typical pest infestations include ants, rodents, and spiders.

Sewer overflow is dangerous. And the longer it goes unaddressed, the worse it gets. Scheduling a sewer repair early stops the damage and begins to reverse it.

Do You Need Sewer Repair Services ASAP in Kirkwood? Call Signature Plumbing

Signature Plumbing has been serving Kirkwood, MO, since 2011. If you've got plumbing issues, we're prepared to find a fix for you. At Signature Plumbing, you're getting:

  • Emergency availability with fast response times
  • A clear pricing structure without hidden fees
  • Plumbers that have experience with MO homes and know the unique plumbing problems they face
  • A organization who wants to give exceptional, stressless service to Kirkwood residents.

If you're confident that there's a crack in your sewer line, or if you need help identifying what's going on, we''ve got the experience necessary to find a solution. Talk to a technician at (636) 742-2533 or set up an appointment online today.

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