The most common signs are drains that are slow throughout the house at the same time rather than in a single fixture, recurring backups in the lowest drains in the home such as a basement floor drain, sewage odors inside or outside the home with no obvious source, and wet or unusually green patches in the yard above the sewer line run. Any one of these warrants a camera inspection. By the time multiple signs are present simultaneously, the line has usually been failing for longer than the symptoms suggest.

The most common causes we see in Central and Eastern Pennsylvania are root intrusion through joint gaps in clay tile pipe, bellied sections where the pipe has lost slope due to soil settlement, and pipe material failure in Orangeburg lines that have softened and collapsed. In newer homes, grease accumulation and non-flushable materials flushed into the system are more common culprits. Camera inspection tells us which condition we are dealing with and where it is located before we begin any repair.

Yes, and in the older neighborhoods throughout Bethlehem, Lancaster, York, and Harrisburg, root intrusion is one of the most common sewer repairs we complete. Mature trees send roots long distances in search of moisture, and the joints in clay tile sewer lines are exactly the kind of gap roots exploit. Once roots are inside the pipe, they expand with the pipe’s internal moisture and accelerate the damage at the joint. Regular camera inspection is the best way to catch root intrusion before it reaches the point where pipe wall damage requires excavation.

It depends on the nature and location of the repair. Some repairs, particularly root clearing and joint resealing at accessible locations, can be completed with minimal excavation. Collapsed pipe, separated joints, and bellied sections require opening the ground at the failure point. We will show you the camera footage and explain what access is required before any digging begins. Our plumbers are direct about what the repair involves and why.

Yes. Homes built in Central and Eastern Pennsylvania between roughly 1930 and 1970 are the most likely to have Orangeburg or clay tile sewer lines. Orangeburg was commonly used during and after World War II as a fiber-based pipe alternative and has a finite service life that many of these installations have already exceeded. A camera inspection gives you an accurate picture of what is actually in the ground under your property rather than requiring you to wait for a backup to find out.