Quck answer
To find underground sewer pipes, follow these steps:
1. Check for existing records or plans: Contact your local municipality or utility company to see if they have any records or plans indicating the location of sewer pipes.
2. Look for visible signs: Look for manhole covers, sewer cleanouts, or sewer vents in your neighborhood or property, as they can indicate the presence of underground sewer pipes.
3. Use ground penetrating radar (GPR): GPR is a non-destructive method that uses radar pulses to create an image of what’s beneath the ground. It can help locate sewer pipes by identifying changes in soil density.
4. Hire a professional locator: Consider hiring a professional pipe locator who can use specialized equipment, such as electromagnetic locators, to accurately locate underground sewer pipes.
Remember to always exercise caution when digging or excavating to avoid damaging any underground utility lines.
Hidden beneath your property are the sewer pipes, unseen by anyone except for subterranean creatures. If there is a leak or a need to replace these pipes, how can you find them?
Firstly, it is important to know that all drains in your house, such as sinks, toilets, showers, and bathtubs, flow into a single sewer line. This main line then connects to a municipal sewer system or a septic tank. If you can locate where the main drain exits your property, you are halfway there.
Strategies for Homeowners to Locate Pipes
The first option that every homeowner should try is to contact the city. Most cities have maps showing the location of underground utilities. Provide your address to inquire if your city has sewer maps.
If this option is unsuccessful, start examining the areas where the pipes exit in your home. Since all drain pipes lead to a main sewer pipe, find a toilet or sink line and follow it, if possible, to see where it connects to a larger pipe. The larger pipe should exit your house from the basement or crawl space. This will be the pipe that connects to the main sewer line. Sewer lines are always straight, so following this strategy may help you locate the line.
Another option is to call 811, the national toll-free number established by Congress to prevent damage to underground utilities. It is required by law in all 50 states for homeowners to call 811 before digging for any reason, whether it be to plant a tree, bury water pipes, install a fence, or repair a sewer line. This service will send professional line locators to the site to mark the paths of underground utilities.
Tools Used by Professional Plumbers for Locating Sewer Pipes
Professional plumbers have useful tools at their disposal: cameras and sensors attached to long cables that navigate through your pipes to identify issues and locate the pipes. Sewer cameras are expensive and require expertise to operate, so if you have been unsuccessful in locating your sewer pipes on your own, it is best to call a professional. Additionally, most sewer cameras available to non-professionals only allow you to view a few feet inside the drain. Lastly, if you purchase one of these cameras and discover problems, it is likely that you will still need to call a professional to address them.
These devices typically have a small video screen that displays the camera’s view and assists in identifying root intrusion, pipe corrosion, or other areas that require repair or may be causing a blockage.
Professionals use a locator along with a sewer camera; the locator is similar to a metal detector and can determine the location of the underground sensor on the camera to precisely locate your sewer line.
Cleaning Interior or Exterior Pipes
Once the plumber finds the sewer line and identifies the issue, it may be possible to clear the line using a mainline sewer machine that can forcefully remove a blockage. However, in some cases, a section of the pipe will need to be directly accessed to deal with a blockage or it may need to be replaced if it cannot be repaired. If there is a clog due to something being flushed down the toilet, the sewer camera can be inserted directly into the toilet and through its exit pipe to inspect the problem.
In many modern houses, there is a feature known as a “sewer cleanout.” This is a pipe that is capped and protrudes a few inches from the ground, providing access to the sewer line and the pipes both inside and outside the house. If your house has a cleanout (although it might be difficult to locate or covered in dirt), it is usually a simple task to clear and drain the line. You can use a sewer camera to determine the exact location of the cleanout. If your house does not have a cleanout, it is advisable to consider installing one to avoid future complications.
