Sewage backing up into the house right now
A sewer line that fails does not wait for a convenient hour. Our line is answered around the clock, and while you wait for a callback, stop running water anywhere in the house, because every flush and every load of laundry sends more wastewater toward the blockage. If the main water valve is easy to reach, close it.
Keep people and pets out of any room with standing sewage, and stay clear of wet outlets and extension cords on the floor. Photograph the damage before you mop anything up. Call us and tell us which fixtures are backing up, since that points to where the line is damaged.
Signs the sewer line itself is damaged
A clogged drain in one sink is usually a local problem. Trouble that shows up in several places, or comes back after a cleaning, often points to the buried line between the house and the street.
Clogs that keep returning
People often describe a main line that needs clearing every two or three years, or sooner. Repeat stoppages in the same spot suggest roots, a joint that has shifted, or a low spot where waste collects.
Several fixtures act up together
When the tub gurgles as the washer drains, or two toilets will not flush at once, the shared line downstream is restricted. A single slow sink rarely does that.
Sewer smell indoors
A steady odor in a bathroom or the yard can come from a cracked pipe or a dry trap. It can also mean sewage is seeping into the soil around a failed joint.
Wet or sunken ground
A soggy strip of lawn, a dip in the yard along the pipe path, or lush green grass in a line can mark a leaking joint. Water that stays after dry weather deserves a closer look.
Trenchless lining or dig-down: how the choices compare
Most sewer lines in Greenacres run through flat yards and under driveways and slabs, so the method matters as much as the fix. The right choice depends on what the camera shows, not on a preference.
The table below is a starting point. Your own line may mix both approaches, with a short dig at the worst joint and lining through the rest.
| Question | Pipe lining (trenchless) | Dig-down replacement |
|---|---|---|
| What happens. | A resin-soaked liner is pulled into the old pipe through an access point and cured against the walls. | A trench is opened, the damaged pipe is removed, and new pipe is laid and bedded. |
| Best for. | Cracks, small root entry points and worn joints where the pipe is still roughly straight. | Collapsed, badly offset or bellied pipe that no longer holds a line. |
| Yard and driveway. | Usually small excavations at the ends, so lawn and hardscape mostly stay put. | A trench across the yard, and sometimes through a driveway, walkway or slab. |
| Pipe size. | The liner slightly narrows the bore, which the camera survey should confirm is acceptable. | New pipe can be sized and sloped as needed. |
| Limits. | Cannot fix a pipe that has fallen out of position or collapsed. | More disruption, more restoration, longer open trench. |
Cost differs between the two paths and between jobs. The pricing section below lists the factors, and we give a clear price before any work starts.
Not sure how bad the line is?
Describe what is backing up and where. We will tell you whether a camera visit or a repair comes first.
Tree roots in the sewer line
Roots are drawn to the moisture and nutrients inside a sewer pipe, and they enter wherever a joint or crack lets vapor escape. Once inside, a few fine hairs thicken into a mat that catches paper and grease. That is why a drain can clear for a few months and then stop again.
Cutting roots with a cable machine or hydro jetting restores flow, but the opening remains. If the camera shows roots entering at a single joint, a spot repair or a liner section closes the gap. If roots enter at several joints, longer lining or replacement usually makes more sense than repeated clearing.
Offset, cracked and bellied lines
Sewer pipe relies on a steady downhill slope. When soil settles or a joint pulls apart, the pipe can end up with a low spot, and waste sits there instead of moving along. Plumbers call that a belly. Solids settle in it, the line half fills, and clogs return no matter how often the line is cleared.
Offset joints
Two pipe sections that no longer line up leave a lip that snags paper and wipes. A cable passes through, so the clog seems cleared, and then the lip catches the next load. A camera shows the step clearly.
Cracks and spot damage
A localized crack in PVC or clay pipe, often with root entry, can sometimes be fixed with a spot repair rather than a full replacement. We mark the depth and distance from the cleanout so the repair is exact.
Sags and bellies
A sagging section usually has to be dug up and re-laid to correct the slope. Lining a belly only preserves the dip, so we tell you plainly when digging is the honest answer.
A camera comes before any repair decision
Guessing where a sewer line has failed leads to wasted digging. A video sewer inspection shows the pipe material, the depth of each fault, and whether roots, a belly or a collapse is the cause. It also settles whether lining is possible or whether a dig is unavoidable.
If you are not yet sure the line is the problem, a sewer line cleaning visit can restore service first, and the camera can follow once water flows again.
Cast iron pipe repair
Older homes may have cast iron drain and sewer pipe, and cast iron rusts from the inside out. It gets rough, scaled and thinner, which catches debris and eventually cracks or leaks at the hubs. Cast iron under a slab is the hardest to reach.
Repair options range from replacing a failed section with modern pipe to lining where the wall is still sound. We check the iron on camera, tap-test accessible runs, and tell you which sections are worth keeping.
Sewer line or septic system? Ask the right office
The City of Greenacres planning document points to Palm Beach County Water Utilities Department (PBCWUD) and encourages converting septic tanks to centralized service. Existing septic systems may remain until centralized service is available.
We cannot tell you which one applies to your address from the street. Ask PBCWUD or the City of Greenacres whether centralized sewer service is available for your property, and tell us what they say so the repair plan matches.
What shapes the cost of a sewer line repair
Sewer work spans a wide spread, from a short spot repair to a long replacement, so a single number would mislead. These are the factors that decide your price.
What insurance may and may not cover
Homeowner policies differ on sewer line damage. Some cover sudden failure and exclude gradual wear, tree roots or backup, and many need an added endorsement. Read your policy, call your insurer, and photograph the damage and any water-stained items before cleanup.
After the camera, we give a clear price before work starts. For your real number, call us and describe what you have seen.
Sewer repairs, permits and the code
Sewer and building drain piping falls under the Florida Building Code, Plumbing, which Florida builds on the International Plumbing Code (IPC), built on the IPC. Replacing or lining a section is more than a cleaning job.
Ask the City of Greenacres building department whether your repair needs a permit. Greenacres also requires a licensed contractor or an exempt owner-builder for permitted work.
Sewer line repair questions
Yes. Our phone line is answered around the clock, and we offer same-day appointments when available. If sewage is backing up at 2 a.m., call, tell us which fixtures are affected, and we will work out the safest next step.
Often, yes. Pipe lining works from small access points and suits cracks, root entry and worn joints. A collapsed or badly sagging pipe usually needs a dig, and the camera tells us which case yours is.
Repeat clogs, gurgling and slow drains in several fixtures are common signs, but only a camera confirms roots. It also shows where they enter, which decides between a spot repair and longer lining.
Cleaning removes the blockage but not the cause. A belly, an offset joint or a root entry point keeps catching waste, and the camera finds it so the real fault can be fixed.
Ask PBCWUD or the City of Greenacres. The City plan encourages converting septic to centralized service, and existing septic may remain until centralized service is available. We cannot tell you what applies to your address.
Almost always. A camera shows the fault and its depth, so the repair is chosen from facts. See our page on sewer inspection for what the footage shows.
Cast iron corrodes from the inside and can crack at the hubs. We look at it on camera, then recommend replacing weak sections or lining sound ones.