What has to be dug
- A collapsed or crushed section. Nothing gets through it, a liner included.
- A belly, where the pipe has sagged and holds water. A liner would follow the same sag, so the pipe has to come out and be re-laid at the right slope.
- A joint that has shifted so far the two pipes no longer line up.
- A failed connection where the lateral meets the public main.
Most other damage, such as cracks, joints full of roots, or cast iron worn thin, can often be lined from the inside instead. Get a price for both before deciding.
How a dig goes
- A camera and locator mark the spot on the ground and give the depth.
- The contractor pulls the permit. Sewer work requires one, and the company that answers this number is a licensed master drainlayer.
- The pipe is uncovered. A spot repair is a hole a few feet long. A full replacement is a trench from the house toward the street.
- The bad section is replaced with plastic pipe, and a cleanout is added if the house never had one.
- The work is inspected before the hole is filled.
- The trench is backfilled and compacted, and the surface is put back.
Under the basement floor
When the broken pipe is under the slab, the dig starts with a concrete saw. In an unfinished basement that is a messy day or two. In a finished one it means flooring, and sometimes walls, coming out and going back. That is the case where lining most often costs less.
Before you pay for it
Many cities here run a sewer lateral repair program that pays part or all of a lateral repair, and each has its own steps. Some, Chesterfield among them, require the line to be cabled first. Some, such as O'Fallon and St. Peters, won't pay for a camera inspection done before you apply. Check your city's rules before the work starts, because repairs made ahead of an application are often not reimbursed. The city-by-city guide to sewer lateral programs lists the fee, the cap and the first step for each one.
When a program wants documentation of the problem, the company that answers this number fills out the forms and location map and gives them to you with the camera video to turn in. Not every town has a program. Arnold, for one, doesn't.
If you were charged for a service call that led to the repair, $200 of it is credited toward the job.
Common questions
Does the city pay for sewer line repair?
Often part of it. Chesterfield covers up to $15,000, Maryland Heights pays in full up to $10,000, Olivette pays up to $6,000, and St. Charles reimburses 90 percent up to $7,500. Each program has its own steps, and some won't pay for work done before you apply. Arnold has no program.
Do I need a permit to repair a sewer line?
Yes. Replacing sewer pipe takes a permit, and the work is inspected before the trench is filled. The contractor normally pulls the permit. Cleaning and cabling a line don't need one.
Does homeowner's insurance cover a broken sewer line?
Usually not. Insurers generally treat the lateral as home maintenance, a point Maryland Heights makes on its own program page. Some sell a service line endorsement that does cover it. Ask your agent.
Can a broken sewer line be fixed without digging?
Sometimes. Pipe that is cracked, root-filled or worn thin but still holds its shape can usually be lined from the inside. Pipe that has collapsed, or that sags and holds water, has to be dug up. A camera inspection shows which you have.