Sewer Excavation in Smyrna, GA

Not every sewer excavation opens fresh ground. Sometimes the trench goes back to a spot that was dug years ago, where an earlier repair has given out. The building sewer backs up again, the camera stops at the same distance, and the footage shows a coupling or a short length of newer pipe right where the trouble is. For a Smyrna homeowner who inherited an old patch with the house, understanding why it failed is the key to making the second repair the last one at that spot.

How earlier repairs give out

• Unshielded rubber couplings. A plain rubber sleeve with no metal shield lets the pipe ends drift out of line as the soil moves, leaving a step that catches waste.
• No bedding under the new piece. A replacement section dropped onto loose soil can sink, forming a low spot right after the repair.
• Mismatched pipe. New pipe of a slightly different size or shape leaves a lip inside the line.
• Wraps and patches. Concrete, tape or a clamp around a cracked pipe may slow a leak for a while but rarely seals it.
• Too short a fix. The repair stopped at the visible crack, while the pipe on either side was just as worn.

Reading the old repair on camera

A sewer camera inspection usually makes an earlier repair easy to spot. A change in pipe color or material, a coupling, water ponding just past a joint, or a step where one pipe sits lower than the next all point to where the work was done and how it moved. The camera should keep going past the old repair, too. If the rest of the line looks sound, redoing the repair properly may be enough; if the original pipe is failing elsewhere, it is time to think bigger.

Doing it properly the second time

A lasting repair starts by cutting back past the old work to sound pipe on both sides, so nothing from the failed patch stays in the line. New pipe goes onto a firm, even bed with a steady fall, and each end is joined with a shielded coupling made for the two materials it connects, its bands tightened so the joint holds alignment. The section is tested before the trench is closed, and the soil around it is compacted in layers so it does not settle into a new sag. When the camera shows wear along much of the line, it is worth pricing a longer replacement or lining alongside the spot repair.

Permits for the new work

You often cannot tell whether an earlier repair was permitted, but the new one should be. Smyrna's Community Development Department handles the permit for the new work. If the job involves a new building sewer, the city's code calls for its connection and testing to happen with the department director or a representative present, so plan the dig with that visit in mind.

Questions about failed sewer repairs in Smyrna

How can I tell if a past sewer repair is the problem?

The camera usually shows it. Look for a change in pipe material, a coupling, or a step at the point where the blockage keeps forming. Signs in the yard help too: a rectangle of newer concrete or a patch of different grass over the line often marks an old dig. If backups keep returning at the same distance, the earlier repair is a prime suspect.

Should the whole line be replaced if an old patch failed?

Not automatically. If the patch failed because of how it was installed and the rest of the pipe is sound, a properly made repair at that spot can be enough. If the footage shows cracks, roots or sags elsewhere, a longer replacement avoids a string of further digs. The decision should rest on the condition of the whole line.

Can I fix the sewer line at my rental house myself in Smyrna?

Generally not. The city lets homeowners pull permits only for their current permanent residence listed in their legal name, and it says a landlord may not do the work on a rental unit unless they hold a Georgia contractor's license. For a rental, plan on a contractor pulling the permit and doing the repair, which is worth knowing if the failed patch looks like someone's weekend project.

Get the old repair looked at

Sewer backing up again at the spot someone already repaired? Phone (404) 409-4448, and Alpha Plumbing and Sewer will look at what went wrong with the old fix at your Smyrna home before planning the new one.