Clearing roots and blockages
Roots that get in at the joints, grease and debris can all narrow the pipe. Clearing them gets the line flowing again when nothing else is wrong with the pipe.
Sewer Line Repair in Tacoma
Gurgling drains, a backed-up basement floor drain or a soft, sunken strip of lawn above the line are clues that a side sewer is failing. A call to us connects you with a plumber or side sewer contractor.
Read on for who owns which part of the line, the City permit, older clay pipe and what happens when a side sewer stops flowing.
Ways to fix a side sewer
Repairing one section
When damage is limited to one cracked, sagging or shifted length of side sewer, that length alone can be replaced.
Replacing the whole line
A side sewer that has failed along its length can be replaced as a whole, and like any side sewer repair the job needs a City permit.
A video inspection before you buy
Tacoma suggests that buyers hire a side sewer contractor or a drain cleaner to run a video inspection of the side sewer before taking on a house.
Your side sewer and the City main
Property owners in Tacoma are responsible for the side sewer from their building to the City’s main sewer line. The City maintains the main itself, including the tees, wyes and risers connected to it.
Tacoma has a separated sewer system, so the City encourages owners to keep water from roofs, floor drains and sump pumps out of the side sewer. In heavy rain, that water can push peak flows to as much as seven times normal.
Permits and work in the street
Repairing or replacing a side sewer needs a permit from Tacoma Planning and Development Services, even when the owner does the work. Repairs in the City right-of-way, even on part of your private side sewer, must be done by a contractor licensed and bonded to work in Tacoma.
A Washington plumber certificate is not required for sewer line connections outside a building, but the City’s permit and right-of-way rules above still apply.
Clay and concrete pipe under older houses
Clay and concrete sewer pipe went in widely up through the 1970s, and it can crack, shift out of place and let roots in. Tacoma’s tip sheet for buyers and sellers says buildings put up before 1980 are likely to have one of those materials.
The City recommends that owners look into the location and condition of their side sewer, especially one more than 25 years old or without PVC pipe all the way from the building to the City main. Our sewer line age checker shows which materials a house of your age may have.
When a side sewer stops flowing
If sewage will not flow at all and backs up into a building, a yard or elsewhere, Tacoma treats it as a Sanitary Sewer Overflow, which is illegal and a health hazard. The City notifies the owner and gives a fixed time to make repairs.
If the repairs are not made in that time, the owner may face fines or water shut-off by the health department. A cracked line that still works does not have to be repaired right away, though the City encourages owners to plan for it.
Frequently asked questions
Does a home sale involve the side sewer?
Yes. Since December 1, 2010, real estate professionals in Tacoma have been required to give buyers and sellers a side sewer educational flyer before the closing of any property.
Does the City help pay for side sewer repairs?
Yes, through a loan. Tacoma runs a Residential Sewer Conservation Loan program for side sewer repair or replacement on homes inside city limits served by Environmental Services, so check with the City whether applications are open.
Is it just one slow sink or tub? Then drain cleaning may be all you need, and corroded water pipes belong under repiping. Everything else starts on the homepage.
Call for a free plumbing estimate
Call us to discuss your current issue and how we can assist you. The call is free and you get a free, personalized estimate with no obligation. We're here to help.
Call (855) 321-3426