Drain & Sewer Tips / Sewer Problems

Nobody wants to hear "you need a new sewer line." The good news: most sewer problems don't require one. The key is matching the fix to what's actually wrong — which is why every decision should start with camera footage, not a sales pitch.

The escalation ladder — cheapest fix first

1. Cleaning or jetting (hundreds of dollars). Roots, grease, and buildup in a structurally sound pipe don't need excavation — they need to be removed. Jetting cuts roots out and scours the line clean. 2. Spot (point) repair (low thousands). If the camera shows one bad section — a crack, an offset joint, a localized belly — excavating and replacing just that section costs a fraction of a full replacement. 3. Full replacement (per-foot pricing). When a line is collapsed, badly bellied along its run, or failing in multiple places, replacement is the honest answer. Nationally, expect roughly $50–$250 per foot depending on depth, length, and what's above the pipe (lawn vs. driveway vs. mature landscaping).

Signs you're heading up the ladder

• Backups keep returning after professional cleanings
• Multiple wet, sunken, or oddly lush patches in the yard
• Persistent sewage odor outside
• The camera keeps finding the same broken section
• Your home is 50+ years old with original clay or cast-iron lines and mature trees nearby

Why Colorado lines fail

Front Range soils expand and contract dramatically with moisture and freeze-thaw cycles, which shifts and cracks rigid old pipes. Add thirsty tree roots hunting for the water inside sewer lines, and the region's older clay-tile laterals rarely make it to their 100th birthday intact. Newer PVC lines handle the movement far better.

What an excavation repair actually involves

We locate the failure precisely with the camera and a locator (one hole, not an exploratory trench), dig to the pipe, replace the failed section or run, bed the new pipe properly so soil movement doesn't repeat the failure, then backfill and restore the surface. Most residential spot repairs are done in a day; full replacements typically take one to three.

Questions to ask anyone quoting you a replacement

1. Can I see the camera footage of the failure? (If no — get a second opinion.)
2. Is a spot repair viable instead of a full replacement?
3. What's the per-foot price, and what does surface restoration include?
4. Who handles permits and utility locates? (Your contractor should.)

The bottom line

Never approve underground work without seeing the footage. A trustworthy company shows you the problem, walks you up the ladder from the cheapest viable fix, and puts both options in writing.

Facing a big sewer quote in the Colorado Springs area? Get a camera-verified second opinion — free estimate from Drain Plumber Pro: (719) 639-4137.