Belly in Sewer Line - How to Identify and Repair This Issue

Do you suddenly have sewage seeping out of your lawn grounds, basement floor, or drains? This can indicate a belly in sewer line.

A belly in a sewer main line is one of the common problems you can have, especially if you have an aging plumbing system. It suggests that you have standing water and sediment gathered in your main sewer line area.

It might be time for a sewer line repair. Let's discuss how you can identify a bellied sewer line and how to fix it.

What Is a Sewer Line Belly?

Before we discuss the problem of a belly in sewer line, let's first note the correct positioning and location of a sewer line. Properly installed sewer lines slope downward and away from your house as they use the force of gravity to facilitate flow.

How about when you have a belly in a sewer line?

A sewer belly or low area happens when the slope changes causing your sewer line to gather debris and waste. Its indicator is a pipe holding water after the flow has stopped.

There are other causes of pooling water, and you must rule them out first. You can do so by calling for a camera inspection. These are the signs of a collapsed sewer line.

Most of the time, a belly in sewer line happens at its fitting. A solid pipe made of cast iron requires more pressure to form a sewer line belly. It helps to know what material your sewer line is made of.

Sewer line bellies, low areas, and sags become serious concerns when debris collects and cause blockage and water backup, which can cause it to clog.

If you want to know how to fix a clogged sewer line, you can check this clog repair guide!

Waste water can easily go down into them but gets collected as it takes more effort to go through the other against gravity's flow. Installing a backflow preventer in your sewer line might help.

Causes

Your sewer line is your main drainage line. This leads you to wonder what causes a belly in a sewer line.

Geological events out of your control usually cause a sewer belly formation. Soil erosion, foundation settlement, earthquake, extreme temperature changes, and tree root infiltration can cause shifting soil and belly formation.

These can cause belly formation and standing water collection in your sewer pipes. Find out more about how tree roots affect your sewer line here.

Is there nothing you can do about forming a bellied sewer line? There is. You can choose a trusted plumber to avoid human error, such as poor soil compaction and poor installation.

Experienced plumbers know the other factors to avoid in preventing sewer line bellies. They know the correct angle of slope for your sewer line and would avoid sewer pipe materials like clay. You can also trust them to do proper soil bedding of gravel and sand during installation.

Repairing It

A sanitary sewer line belly can block your regular wastewater flow or break your sewer line. It is found deep underground, so having to fix the belly is a large-scale task.

If you're wondering why it's because the proper slope of your pipe has to be restored.

The conventional replacement of main sewer lines can cost a lot because it can involve open trench excavation. However, conventional replacement isn't your only repair option.

You can look into trenchless technology instead for sewer repair. This allows you to repair your sagging sewer line with lesser costs, effort, and time.

Pipe bursting is a trenchless way to fix a sewer pipe belly. But you don't have to worry; how it works isn't as dramatic as it sounds. To explain, it involves inserting a new pipe into the length of your old pipe to damage the old pipe along the way.

Another trenchless method is installing a cured-in-place pipe lining. This involves pouring a mixture into your damaged pipe for it to harden into a new pipe.

However, this requires local permits to be secured as it involves chemicals that can harm the wastewater system and local groundwater.

If you're wondering whether or not your home insurance can cover your sewer belly repair, the answer depends. Factors to be evaluated are total repair cost, the age of your sewer line, your insurance policy, and the location of the belly.

What if It’s Sewer Line Channeling?

Here's where it can get tricky. What looks like a sewer line belly might be a sewer line channeling.

When you have a sewer line channeling, you'll experience the same signs as with a sewer line belly. Again, you'll need to conduct a video inspection to pinpoint your exact issue.

Channeling happens when running water cuts through the bottom of your sewer line over time.

When you experience signs of channeling, this suggests that a portion of the bottom of your sewer line is completely gone.

This weak point can be an entry point for tree roots, dirt, and insects to make their way into your home. This can be a common problem, especially if you have cast iron pipes.

Causes

By now, you already know that your sewer line is your main drain line, which is supposed to withstand high pressure. Like sagging, channeling occurs mostly because of geological events like erosion and shifting soil.

The sudden increased weight causes your main pipe to buckle and interrupt water movement, which leads to blockage and buildup.

Repairing It

Similarly, you can repair a channeled sewer line using trenchless methods.

However, channeling differs because the pipe's slope usually remains functional. This means that pipe lining may be more practical here.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Here are the most frequently asked questions about bellies in your sewer line!

Conclusion

A belly in a sewer line involves a change in your main pipe's slope. Depending on the severity of the issue, it can push you to replace your pipes.

Contact your trusted plumber for more information on how you can save your main pipe.