Sewer Lateral Inspections in Ventura

All homeowners and property owner must keep in mind that when a sewer lateral line ages, it becomes more vulnerable to breakage and other damages. Also, the average lifetime of a private sewer lateral depends on the material used to construct the pipe. Although clay pipes are the most common, the old-style hub and spigot joints fail after a certain amount of time, causing the pipeline to break. These days, the most widely used material for pipes and sewer lines is a high-density polyethylene (HDPE), since it is a more durable, cost-effective solution that is faster to repair, and 100+ years of useful life.

Common problems caused by a broken private sewer lateral include:

• Sewer back-ups
• Local soil and creek contamination caused by leaks and/or spills
• Excessive wastewater polluting local bodies of water
• An overflow of raw sewage caused by water intrusion and root growth

Sewer Lateral Inspections & First-Time Homebuyers

Not many first-time homebuyers consider sewer lateral inspections. Although it’s widely known that homebuyers are expected to complete an inspection before purchasing their property, sewer lines are often overlooked. However, avoiding a sewer lateral inspection can pose more costly damages (and even structural damage) down the road.

If you can’t remember the last time your sewer line has been inspected, it’s time to contact your local plumbing contractors today!

Make Sure Your Private Sewer Lateral Is Environmentally Safe!

There are serious environmental risks that come along with broken private sewer laterals. Exfiltration failures allow wastewater to flow out of pipes and into the ground where it can contaminate drinking water supplies. However, inflow and infiltration failures tend to be more common. This occurs when rainwater and/or groundwater make it inside your pipe and plumbing system.

In fact, property owners experience this problem so commonly that any excess water can overwhelm a community’s sewer treatment system, which causes overflows and back-ups that force untreated sewage into yards, streets, or nearby bodies of water (such as the Santa Clara River and/or Ventura River).

Sewer Lateral Inspection Key Facts

• If your home or building is older than 20 years old, a sewer lateral inspection will determine if your lines are faulty and require replacement. Even if a sewer line is fairly new compared to homes built before 1950, tree roots can still intrude your lines.
• Did you know that roots crawl into tiny openings and expand in your sewer line? They then latch on to other debris, such as grease, eggshells, or other food waste, which typically cause clogs or back-ups. Also, chemicals can sometimes a tree’s roots, which damage your pipes in the process.
• Some homes constructed before main sewer lines still rely on cesspools. Surprisingly, some cesspools have been left intact and connected to the sewer line–even after cities installed public septic systems. A sewer lateral inspection will be able to determine if your property’s sewer lines are still connected to a cesspool.
• With homes built in the 1950s, many sewer lines were made from tar paper. These are typically referred to as Orangeburg pipes, and they tend to disintegrate and collapse over time. If a home is 60 years or older, your sewer lines will undoubtedly need to be replaced if they haven’t already.
• Before your sewer lateral inspection, be sure to ask your plumbing contractor about the type of material your current sewer lines are made from. Depending on when your house was built, sewer lines can be constructed from different materials, including Orangeburg, clay, and cast iron.