Sewer Repairs and Renewal.Done Right.

When a sewer needs more than clearing

If a drain has been cleared several times and keeps blocking, or if a camera shows a crack, a collapse or a sag, the pipe needs repair. Clearing over and over only delays the cost.

What to expect

Sewer repairs involve digging, so we tell you what area will be opened up and how the area will be left. Work on below-ground sanitary drains is covered by Victorian compliance certificate rules.

Finding the fault

We run a camera, locate the problem and measure its depth and position. We show you the footage.

Pipe materials in older sewers

Older sewer pipes are often earthenware, with short lengths and many joints. Newer pipes are PVC with fewer joints. Joints are where roots enter, and earthenware can crack and shift. Replacing sections with PVC gives a smooth pipe with fewer entry points.

Relining compared with digging

Relining lines the existing pipe with a resin sleeve without digging up the whole length. It suits pipes that are cracked but still in place. A pipe that has collapsed or sunk may need to be dug up and replaced. A camera inspection tells which is possible.

Where the sewer line belongs

A drain from your house passes through your property to a connection point, and who looks after each section depends on where it sits. Your water retailer can tell you where your property's connection is and which section is yours. A blockage close to the house is often your responsibility, while a problem in the street main is usually the water retailer's. Ask before you pay for work on a pipe that may not be yours.

How a sewer problem shows itself

Slow drains in more than one fixture, gurgling in the toilet when the washing machine empties, damp patches in the yard, a smell near a gully or a patch of unusually green grass can all point to a sewer fault. One symptom alone is not a diagnosis. A camera inspection can show whether a pipe is cracked, offset, root-affected or simply dirty.

Repair options: dig, relining or replacement

A short broken section can be dug up and replaced. Relining places a new lining inside an existing pipe and avoids digging, but it suits some faults better than others. A pipe that has collapsed or has serious joint problems may need replacement. Ask for the camera footage and the reason a particular option suits your pipe, as well as how long the job should take and what the surface will look like afterwards.

Trees, driveways, pools and extensions affect the choice. Tell the plumber about any plans for the yard.

Access, permits and getting the site back

Digging near a slab, a driveway or a fence line needs planning. Utility locations should be checked before any excavation. Some sewer work needs notification or approval, and the plumber should explain what applies. Agree on how the garden, paving or lawn will be restored, and what is included, before the work starts.

Questions to ask before approving a sewer job

Which section of pipe has the fault and how far is it from the house? What does the camera footage show? Why is this repair method suited to this fault? What will be dug up, and how will it be put back? How long will the toilets and showers be out of use? Will the repair need approval or notification? Clear answers on these points are worth more than a low figure with no detail.

Using the toilet and showers during repairs

A sewer repair can mean the house cannot use its drains for part of a day or longer. Ask when water has to be off and whether the family should arrange somewhere to stay. If you have a home business or someone with health needs, say so early so the work can be planned around them.

Repair, relining or replacement

A short damaged section may be repaired with a spot repair. A longer run with several faults may suit relining, where a resin liner forms a new pipe inside the old one. Where a pipe has collapsed or has serious fall problems, replacement may be the only lasting fix. Each option has different disruption, cost and life, and a camera inspection is the basis for choosing.

Ask to see the footage, and ask why the option suits the fault. If the recommendation is the largest work, ask what would happen if you did the smaller one.

Planning around trees, paving and easements

Sewer lines run under gardens, driveways and sometimes neighbours' land. Trees nearby can send roots into joints. Paving and slabs affect how much needs to be dug. Easements may restrict what you can build above a pipe. Check the property title and your water retailer's asset information before you plan work.

If a tree is the cause, deal with the roots at the same time as the pipe, or the repair may not last.

Signs your sewer line may need attention

Gurgling drains, slow flow in several fixtures, sewage smells outside, wet patches over the sewer line, and repeated blockages can all point to a problem in the sewer line. One slow drain is more likely a local blockage, but several together suggest the main line.

A camera inspection shows the condition and the cause. Ask for footage and a plan with options, rather than agreeing to the largest repair on the first visit.

Guides worth reading

• Why Your Drains Keep Blocking and What Actually Fixes Them
• Plumbing Problems in Older Homes: What to Look For Before They Cost You

Related plumbing services

• Emergency Plumbing: Burst pipes, flooding, gas smells and no hot water. Call any hour, any day.
• Blocked Drains: Slow sinks, gurgling pipes and smelly drains cleared and the cause found.
• Blocked Toilets: Blocked, slow or overflowing toilets cleared without making a mess of your bathroom.
• Tree Root Removal from Drains: Roots clearing out of sewer and stormwater pipes, with advice on stopping them returning.
• Emergency plumbing is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week

Talk to GSA Plumbing Services

Call 0401 041 103 or send an enquiry on the contact page. We work across Geelong, Melbourne and surrounding suburbs.