“The society which scorns excellence in plumbing as a humble activity and tolerates shoddiness in philosophy because it is an exalted activity will have neither good plumbing nor good philosophy: neither its pipes nor its theories will hold water,” John W. Gardner once wrote.
It’s a fair point. Settling for subpar plumbing may seem like a good way to save money. In the long run, but it saves money in the short term and risks a lot of long term investments. Bad plumbing can cause everything from a basement flood, which will cost you $10,000 to $50,000 to fix, according to Angie’s List, to foundation problems, which can cost anywhere from $250 to $30,000, according to the Concrete Network.
Avoiding subpar plumbing means you may pay more once, but you’ll pay for parts of a system that will last for decades — not just until the next heavy storm. Here are some important things you should keep in mind when you’re deciding on plumbing options.
A Leaking Sewer Can Cause Your Foundation to Shift
If your sewer line begins to leak, it can add moisture to the soil below your home’s foundation. This swelling and shifting can slowly become noticeable in your home as doors start to get stuck, floor tiles become loose, and cracks form in your walls. This is a problem you’ll want to immediately address since your home is an investment. Sometimes the solution may just be to fix a single section with a sewer line replacement; other jobs might require a more extensive sewer replacement.
Why Trenchless Sewer Pipe Repair?
If, like 73% of homeowners, you hate the idea of your landscaping being torn up so that your sewer can be fixed, you may be filling to pay a bit more for trenchless sewer pipe repair. Although these methods have been around for 15 years now, many consumers are just finding out about them. Today, experts can use cameras to inspect your sewer lines and then insert a “cured-in-place pipe” through the existing pipe. As it hardens it creates a pipe that is corrosion resistant and jointless. Alternatively, if the issue is simply debris, experts can use a high-pressure water jet that can spray up to 4,000 psi of pressure to eliminate any tree roots or obstructions in the line.