Sewer Excavation in Atlanta, GA

Sewer excavation is the part of a sewer job where the ground actually gets opened: a crew digs down to the building sewer, exposes the failed pipe, replaces or repairs it and fills the hole back in. Many of the lines that reach that point are older clay or cast iron pipe, and the trees planted above them have had a long time to find every joint.

Why older sewer lines end up dug

Vitrified clay pipe was laid in short lengths, and roots work their way into the seams between them looking for water. Once inside, they grow into mats that catch paper and grease. Hydro jetting or a cutter can clear them, but every pass through a cracked joint can open it a little wider, and eventually the section breaks, shifts or loses its round shape. Cast iron fails differently, scaling and corroding from the inside until the bottom of the pipe wears thin or opens up. When a camera shows pipe that is broken, crushed or missing its bottom, cleaning stops being a fix and digging becomes the realistic route.

Digging near mature trees

Large oaks and other shade trees often stand close to the sewer route, and a trench may cross their roots. Small feeder roots can be cut cleanly without much consequence, but severing a large structural root near the trunk can weaken a tree. Where a big tree is involved, ask an arborist before work begins, and consider shifting the trench line or hand-digging around a major root instead of cutting it. Roots that found the old pipe will look for any new joint that leaks, so tight joints in the replacement matter as much as the digging.

Deciding how much pipe to replace

A camera run through the line often finds more than one problem. The choice is between a spot repair over the worst break and replacing the run from the house to where it joins the public sewer. A single crack in otherwise sound pipe makes a spot repair sensible; root intrusion at joint after joint in old clay usually means the next failure is a few feet further along. When the old pipe is cracked but not crushed, ask about trenchless lining too.

Permits, underground inspection and the tie-in

Whether an Atlanta address falls on the Fulton or the DeKalb side, the city's Office of Buildings requires a permit for plumbing repair and replacement, and its list of trade inspections includes an underground inspection, so plan on the new pipe staying exposed until that visit. A new tie-in to the public sewer is inspected separately by the Department of Watershed Management.

What a written estimate should spell out

• The length of pipe to be replaced and where the repair starts and stops.
• Pipe material and the fittings used to join new pipe to old.
• Whether new cleanouts will be added so the line can be reached later.
• Permit and inspection steps, and who schedules them.
• How far surface restoration goes, from rough grade to sod, and who handles any tree work.
• How newly found damage will be priced and approved.

After the trench closes

Once the new pipe passes its test and inspection, backfill is placed in compacted layers. A slight crown left over the trench gives settling soil somewhere to go; otherwise a shallow dip tends to show after the first heavy rains. Keep the camera footage and a sketch of where the new pipe runs and where any cleanout sits. That record makes the next service call quicker and shows a future buyer what was done.

Questions Atlanta homeowners ask about digging up a sewer line

Can roots be cleaned out instead of digging?

Often, for a while. A root cutter or jetting clears the pipe, and if the pipe is structurally sound, periodic cleaning can be a reasonable plan. The trouble comes when the camera shows cracked, offset or broken joints, because roots regrow into those openings and each cleaning treats the symptom rather than the cause. At that point replacing the damaged section is usually the more lasting choice.

Will digging hurt the tree in my front yard?

Usually not, if the crew knows which trees you care about before the trench is laid out. Most of the risk comes from cutting thick roots close to the trunk, while smaller roots farther out tend to grow back. Point out valued trees at the first site visit, and ask how the route and the digging method will protect them.

Can a homeowner pull the plumbing permit in Atlanta?

Yes. The Office of Buildings lets homeowners apply for their own plumbing permits. When you hire a contractor for the dig, though, it is common for the contractor to pull the permit and book the inspections, since the crew controls when the trench is ready. Settle who will hold the permit before any work begins so nothing is missed.

Getting the dig scheduled

Have footage of a broken line, or roots that come back every few months? Alpha Plumbing and Sewer can go over the route and the options with you; the number is (404) 409-4448.