The sewer line, or lateral, runs from your house out to the city sewer. In Longview, where 54.9% of homes were built before 1980, many of these lines are 45 years old or more. Wet ground, mature trees and decades of settling are hard on them.
Why sewer lines fail here
Rain.
Longview averages about 48 inches of rain a year. Saturated soil puts water around the pipe, and any cracked joint lets it in, which can overload the line during storms.
Roots.
Tree roots go after the moisture leaking from small gaps in a sewer pipe. Once inside, they grow and catch waste.
Settling.
Over the decades the soil under a line can shift, leaving a low spot that holds waste until it blocks.
Older pipe.
Lines from the 1960s and 1970s may be cast iron, clay or early plastic, each with its own weak points at the joints.
Old repairs.
Patches from earlier owners can join different materials, and every joint is a chance for a leak.
Signs of trouble
- Several drains slow at the same time.
- The lowest tub or shower backs up when the toilet flushes.
- Toilets gurgle when the washer drains.
- A sewer smell in the house or yard.
- A wet, sunken or extra green strip of lawn over the line.
- Backups that get worse when it rains.
Camera first
Before anything gets dug up, ask for a camera inspection. The plumber runs a small camera through the cleanout and records the inside of the line, showing roots, cracks, sags or a broken section and how far from the house it is. Ask for a copy. It helps you compare quotes, and buyers may want to see it if you sell.
Repair choices
Root cutting and clearing
when the pipe is sound. Roots come back, so this may need repeating.
Spot repair
of one damaged section with a small dig.
Line replacement
when the pipe is cracked or sagging in several places.
Trenchless lining
where the line suits it. Not every line does.
Ask why one option is better than another for your line, and what the price covers: digging, backfill, restoring the yard, and the permit.
Permits in Longview
The City of Longview has plumbers register with the city, with proof of a current Texas Master Plumber license and insurance, and registered master plumbers pull permits and call for inspections. Ask the plumber whether your sewer repair needs a permit and whether they will pull it. To check a plumber's state license, use the Texas license search.
Buying a Longview house
If the house was built before 1980, think about a sewer camera inspection before you close. A regular home inspection usually does not look inside the line, and a failed sewer line is one of the bigger surprises an older home can hide.
Common questions
How can I tell the sewer line is the problem and not one drain?
When several drains act up at once, or the lowest drain backs up when other fixtures run, the problem is usually in the main or sewer line.
Why does my sewer back up only when it rains?
Cracks or loose joints can let groundwater into the line during wet weather, filling it faster than it drains. Roots often grow at the same weak spots.
Can a sewer line be fixed without digging up the yard?
Sometimes. A camera shows the problem first. A single break may need a small dig, and some lines can be lined from the inside.