Sewer Camera Inspection
Feed a camera through the pipe to view damage ahead of a home purchase or an excavation.
Drains and sewer ยท Lafayette, CO
Emergency Sewer Line Repair in Lafayette, CO
A sewer line takes everything that leaves the house. When it cracks, sags or fills with roots, wastewater backs up or seeps into the soil, and the repair starts with seeing the damage on camera. Wastewater climbing in a tub or floor drain means stop using water and ring the all-hours number.
A camera visit tells you what is wrong before any digging is priced.
Signs the line is damaged
- Repeated backupsDrains clear and then clog again within weeks.
- Sewer smell outsideGas or seepage near the yard or foundation.
- A sunken or wet patch of lawnWastewater escaping from the pipe.
What goes wrong in a sewer line
Cracks and offsets let roots in. A belly, a low spot where the pipe has sagged, holds water and solids. A separated joint lets soil wash into the line. Each can look similar from inside the house, but the repair differs.
Older pipes, such as clay with loose joints or Orangeburg, fail more often than PVC. Front Range clay soil moves with the seasons, and the pipe moves with it.
Spot repair, lining or replacement
A spot repair digs to a short damaged section and replaces it. It suits a single break in an otherwise sound pipe. Cured-in-place lining draws a resin-soaked liner through the old pipe and hardens it into a new pipe within.
Lining spares the yard a trench, though the host pipe cannot be collapsed or seriously shifted. A full replacement is the right call when the line is failing along its length. See sewer line replacement for that.
Cost
What affects sewer line repair cost
The size of the dig and what sits above the pipe drive most of the price.
Ask for a written scope with the surface restoration spelled out.
In Lafayette
Who handles what in Lafayette
The City of Lafayette's utility billing page does not say who owns the sewer service line between the house and the main. Call the utility billing office at 303-604-3555 before you hire a dig.
The City of Lafayette Building Division enforces the 2024 I-Codes, including the Plumbing Code, and its contractor license page lists the requirements for contractors. Ask the contractor whether a permit is needed.
What the camera shows
The inspector feeds a camera through a cleanout and watches for cracks, roots, offsets, bellies and scale. A surface locator marks the depth and spot of each defect, so excavation starts in the right place.
Ask for the recording and notes. They guide the repair choice, help in a dispute with a seller and support an insurance claim if a covered cause applies.
After the repair
The crew backfills the trench, compacts the soil and restores the surface. Concrete, pavers and landscaping that were disturbed may be quoted separately.
Run water through the line and check the fixtures afterward. If a permit was needed, the inspection happens before the trench is closed. Keep the paperwork for a future sale.
What to ask before a dig begins
Ask the contractor how deep and long the trench will be, who locates the other buried utilities and how the lawn or paving will be put back. A clear plan on paper avoids arguments later.
Find out whether the work needs a city permit and who schedules the inspector. Ask for how many hours the sewer will be unusable and whether the household can stay home meanwhile.
Living with the house during the repair
Plan for the water to be restricted while the line is open. Fill a few jugs, use a neighbor or a nearby restroom, and keep laundry and dishes for later.
Keep children and pets away from the trench, and ask the crew to cover it each evening. Once the work is done, run water in every fixture and look for slow drains before the crew leaves.
A damaged lateral calls for
Sewer Line Replacement
Replace the full sewer lateral when a patch will not last, by open trench or trenchless methods.
Drain Cleaning & Unclogging
Free up a backed-up sink, tub, washer drain or main line, then learn what caused it.
Common questions
Answers on Sewer repair
Not always. A single break in a sound pipe can be repaired in place.
It works for the right pipe, but it cannot fix a collapsed or severely offset line.
A spot repair opens a trench to one section. Lining and pipe bursting need only small pits.
Some policies cover sudden damage and some sell an add-on for service lines. Read yours.
Quit using every drain, washer and dishwasher included, and keep kids and pets out of the room. Call the number. A crew can clear the blockage and afterward scope the pipe for harm.
Sewer line trouble?
Call the 24/7 line, tell the dispatcher what is backing up, and ask about a camera look.