One of the most common reasons for a sewer line backup in Queens is due to tree roots. Most people think that if their property does not fall under the trees branches, they are clear of roots intruding their sewer line, which is a misconception. A good rule to go by is doubling the length of the tree branches above ground, you can figure that the roots below ground will grow at least twice as long as the branches.
In our video you can see that the sewer line has experienced heavy root intrusion which was partially cleared by a water jet however, the camera cannot pass 21.5’. It was determined that the pipe was separated at this point and was causing the bulk of this homeowners recent backups. Unfortunately repairing this section of pipe is not as straight forward as water jetting and will require several steps before the problem is resolved.
The first decision to make is if you want to repair a section of the pipe and deal with the possibility of another problem in the future or if you want to replace the entire sewer line at once and avoid any possibility of future problems.
In this case the homeowner was willing to assume the future risk and take the more cost effective approach, she wanted to repair the pipe at 21’ in the roadway.
The installation crew began by excavating in the street to locate the old pipe for repair.
Once they reached the old pipe, they began removing it in preparation for the new cast iron installation.
The new cast iron pipe is installed |
And finally the new 6” cast iron pipe was installed in preparation for the DEP inspection.
