Property owners throughout Orange County experience a wide range of plumbing problems. However, when an issue occurs with their main sewer line, many believe the city is responsible for addressing it. In fact, if you think you have a broken sewer line in Laguna Beach, CA, you need to call a highly-rated plumber as soon as possible.
Do I Have To Fix A Broken Sewer Main?
The city of Laguna Beach defines a private sewer lateral as “the pipe that drains your sinks, bathtubs, toilets, and showers from your home or building to the City’s sewer mainline.” Their site goes on to say, “Property owners are responsible for the operation, maintenance and repair of their property’s sewer lateral from the home or building and including the point of connection with the City’s sewer mainline.”
City officials recommend people contact local plumbers to have their sewer lines video inspected and repaired if needed. Since we’re experts in fixing any broken sewer pipe in Laguna Beach, CA, people regularly call us when they find out the city doesn’t handle these repairs.
How Do I Know If My Sewer Line Is Broken?
Since it’s buried underground, you can’t inspect the main sewer line for your home or building on your own. You need a plumbing company to conduct a video inspection to identify trouble areas. But how are you supposed to know if you should call a plumber for a video inspection? Signs of sewer line issues include:
- Sewage backups and blockages
- Sewer gas smell
- Slow drains
- Patches of incredibly lush, green grass on your lawn
- Pooling septic waste
- Insect or rodent infestation
- Deteriorating foundation
You may also receive a notice from the city when they become aware of a potential problem with your private sewer lateral. If that’s the case, you have 180 days to address the issue before a city official comes to your property to inspect the line.
What Happens If I Ignore The Problem?
Wouldn’t it be great if you could ignore a problem and it would just go away on its own? Unfortunately, that’s not going to happen with your broken sewer main. The longer you wait to get a plumber to your house or business, the more expensive it’ll be to fix the issue. You want to schedule regular video inspections of your private lateral to avoid the effects of a broken sewer pipe in Laguna Beach, CA. This identifies any significant problems that need immediate repair as well as smaller issues that a plumber can tend to before they get out of control.
Also, as time passes, the issue causes other problems. For instance, a cracked lateral may cause a sewage spill. This spill causes costly property damage while also creating environmental and public health concerns.
If you receive a notice about a broken sewer line in Laguna Beach, CA, or you see the signs of one popping up on your property, you need to immediately get in touch with a plumber specializing in these issues. McKeown Plumbing has more than 45 years of experiencing fixing lateral sewer lines throughout Orange County. Make an appointment with one of our plumbers by calling today.