While an old sewer line can still work, it can break down a whole lot and waste a ton of energy. Many homes, especially older ones, have sewer pipes made of clay or cast iron. These materials were excellent during the time they were popular, but they don’t last forever. As time passes, these old pipes start to crack, crumble, and become rough inside, which slows down the flow of waste and water dramatically. When your plumbing system is struggling to push waste through a damaged or narrow pipe, that inefficiency can cost you some serious money. It can affect everything from your water bill to the lifespan of your fixtures.

How Modern Upgrades Boost Efficiency

When you upgrade your sewer line, it means you’re swapping out old materials for new ones that work a lot better than their predecessors. Modern plastics, such as PVC (polyvinyl chloride), are highly efficient. PVC is extremely smooth inside, and this makes it excellent at preventing sludge and grease from sticking to the walls of the pipes. This smoothness ensures that waste flows away quickly and effortlessly. Since nothing will hinder the movement of the water, your plumbing fixtures will drain better, and you’ll avoid the constant blockages that happen with pipes that are old and rough. Since there will be a significant improvement in efficiency, you’ll no longer need to run tons of water to move waste along, which means you’ll have lower utility bills.

Stopping Leaks and Saving Big Bucks

While a failing sewer line can cause clogs, it can also leak water — and sometimes sewage — right into the soil around your home. An old pipe with multiple cracks is constantly losing water, which means you’re paying for water that never even makes it to the municipal treatment system. The water passes through your water meter when it leaves your plumbing fixtures via the drains. But when you replace that broken line, you seal up all those gaps. You immediately stop the wasted water and protect the foundation of your home from damage caused by pooling underground water.

Furthermore, if your sewer line were to collapse entirely, you’d need an emergency repair that involves digging a huge trench across your yard, and this is going to cost a fortune. Choosing to upgrade before a major failure occurs makes certain that you’re swapping unpredictable, large repair bills for one planned, manageable investment. This is certainly a much smarter financial decision overall.

Avoiding Costly Yard Destruction

Not that long ago, replacing a sewer line meant the plumber had to dig a deep, messy trench from your house to the street, ruining your lawn, landscaping, and driveway in the process. The cleanup and repair added hundreds or even thousands of dollars to the total cost. Today, many upgrades utilize newer trenchless methods in which a new pipe is installed by pulling it through the old one or by using small access points. These trenchless upgrades cause minimal disruption to your yard. This will certainly save you a significant amount of money on excavation, paving repairs, and replanting grass.

If you’re not sure of the age of your sewer line or if you’ve just moved into a new home, have a plumber examine the line and see if it’s due for an upgrade. Contact the team at Almighty Plumbing, and we’ll let you know if the sewer line in your Antioch, CA is running strong or needs to be swapped for a new one.