Frequently Asked Questions

• Edge of the foundation: Houses settle and cause the ground to shift.
• Voided septic tank area in the front yard: Some houses had septic tanks.  The tanks were removed and filled in with dirt.  Over time the dirt settles and so does the sewer pipe.  The pipe will most likely form a belly and or shift and break.
• Curb Area: Some new sewer lines are connected to sewer stubs that were installed years ago.
• City Sewer Main: Most of the time this connection is located in the center of the roadway.

Your main sewer line could be broke or plugged. The first thing you should do is have it sewer cleaned. If the main line cannot be unplugged the next thing to do is have the sewer line video inspected.

This is a very good indication that there are sewer rats exiting and entering you sewer line.  The next thing to do is have your sewer line video inspected.  

The stop box houses the valve that is used to turn the water service on or off.  It is usually located in the boulevard area or sometimes in or underneath the city sidewalk.  The City requires the stop box to be operable at all times.

Who owns the stop box?

• The property owner is who owns the stop box and is responsible for its repairs.

How does the stop box operate?

• To operate the stop box, a long key is placed inside the housing and lowered onto the valve to turn the water service on or off.  Sometimes, due to age or damage, the stop box does not operate, requiring repair.

Why is the stop box operated on?

• To terminate service due to the sale of the home.
• Complete inside plumbing repairs or remodels.
• At a rental property, discontinue water service when the tenant is moving or the failure of not paying the water utility bill.

You might have lead or galvanized water pipes.  If you have outdated pipes in your home the restriction of flow could be affected. Also, there is a possibility that a break has occurred underground and has not surfaced. If this is the case you can usually hear a hissing noise by the meter when a break has occurred on your line.

Hand digging is an option or Directional Boring/Directional Drilling: Is a minimal impact trenchless method of installing underground pipe, conduit or cables in a relatively shallow arc or radius along a prescribed underground bore path by using a surfaced-launched drilling rig. Pipe Bursting:  Is a trenchless method of replacing buried pipelines without the need for a traditional construction trench.

Regarding sewer repairs or replacement sometimes CIPP Lining or a CIPP Liner Push Patch or CIPP Liner Top Hat is a semi-trenchless repair option.