Every day a sewer leak goes unresolved, it is:
- Eroding Your Foundation: Sewage escaping from the pipe washes away the soil supporting your home. In Aurora's expansive clay soils, this creates voids that lead to foundation settling and cracked walls.
- Creating Sinkholes: As soil enters the broken pipe, it creates cavities in your yard or under your driveway, leading to sudden ground collapse.
- Causing Backups: A collapsed or root-infested line will eventually block completely, sending raw sewage backing up into your bathtubs and basement drains.
This is not a DIY project; it is a biohazard and a structural emergency.
Our Forensic Toolset: Seeing the Invisible
Old-school plumbers might suggest digging up your yard just to "find" the problem. That is destructive and outdated. We use Advanced Diagnostic Technology to pinpoint the failure before we break ground.
1. CCTV Video Inspection
We insert a high-definition, self-leveling camera into your cleanout. We push it through the line to visually identify:
- Root Intrusion: Tree roots seeking water that have crushed or infiltrated the pipe joints.
- Bellies (Sags): Sections of pipe that have sunk due to soil settling, holding water, and causing repeated clogs.
- Offset Joints: Pipes that have shifted apart due to ground movement, common in Aurora’s expansive soils.
- Cast Iron Scale: In older homes, corrosion can narrow the pipe interior, catching debris and causing blockages.
2. Hydrostatic Isolation Testing
If the camera doesn't show a visible break, we use inflatable test balls to isolate sections of the drain system and test them for water tightness. This tells us if water is escaping under the slab, even if the pipe looks intact.
Stop the backup before it starts. Protect your home from sewage damage. Call American Leak Detection of Denver immediately at (303) 536-5889 or request a service call for a video inspection in Aurora, CO.
Repair Solutions Tailored for Aurora
We offer both traditional and modern repair methods, chosen based on the specific needs of your property and budget.
Trenchless Sewer Repair
For many homeowners, we can repair the pipe without destroying the driveway or landscaping. We use Cured-in-Place Pipe (CIPP) technology. We insert an epoxy-saturated liner into the old pipe and inflate it. It hardens into a new, seamless pipe-within-a-pipe that is stronger than PVC and immune to root intrusion.
Best for: Saving expensive landscaping, driveways, and patios.
Precision Excavation
If the pipe has collapsed or has a severe belly (sag), excavation is necessary to correct the slope. We use our camera data to dig precisely where the problem is, minimizing the size of the trench and the disruption to your yard. We replace the damaged section with heavy-duty Schedule 40 PVC and ensure proper bedding to prevent future settling.
Why Aurora Trust Us
We understand the local infrastructure. Aurora has a mix of older homes with clay and cast iron pipes, and newer developments with plastic lines that settle.
- Expansive Soils: We bed our pipes in crushed stone to protect them from the heaving clay soil common in Arapahoe County.
- Code Compliance: We handle all permitting with the City of Aurora and ensure every repair meets or exceeds local sanitary codes.
- Root Warriors: We know which local tree species are the most aggressive and design our repairs to be root-proof.
Critical Warning Signs: When to Call Us
Do not wait for a flood. If you notice any of these indicators, you likely have an active sewer failure:
- Gurgling Drains: If flushing the toilet causes the bathtub drain to gurgle, you have a main line blockage or vent issue.
- Lush Patches in Yard: A specific area of grass that is greener and grows faster than the rest indicates it is being fertilized by leaking sewage.
- Sinkholes: Small indentations developing in your yard or near the foundation.
Rat Infestation: Rodents can enter your home through breaks in the sewer line.
Get the facts before you dig. Eliminate the uncertainty and protect your investment. ContactAmerican Leak Detection of Denver at (303) 536-5889 or request a service call to get our Aurora sewer experts on the job.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you fix the pipe without digging up my driveway?
In many cases, yes. If the pipe retains its round shape and isn't collapsed, we can use Trenchless Pipe Relining. We access the pipe through a single cleanout and create a new pipe inside the old one. This saves your concrete and thousands of dollars in restoration costs.
How do I know if it's a clog or a broken pipe?
A simple clog can be cleared with a snake (auger). However, if the clog returns quickly or if we pull up mud on the cable, you likely have a broken pipe. The only way to know for sure is a CCTV Video Inspection, which lets us see the structural condition of the line.
Why do sewer lines break in Aurora?
The primary culprit is our Expansive Clay Soil. This soil swells when wet and shrinks when dry, causing the ground to move. This movement puts immense stress on rigid sewer pipes, causing them to shear, crack, or pull apart at the joints.
Does insurance cover sewer line repair?
Standard homeowners' insurance typically does not cover the "service line" (the pipe from your house to the street). However, many carriers offer a specific "Service Line Endorsement." We recommend checking your policy. Regardless, we provide detailed reports and video evidence to help you document the claim if you have coverage.
How long does a repair take?
A standard spot repair or cleanout installation usually takes one day. A full line replacement or trenchless relining may take 1-2 days, depending on the length of the run and the depth of the city connection. We strive to restore your service as quickly as possible.
