A clog in your main sewer line is super inconvenient.
You’re probably wondering what’s causing the sewer line clog and how soon you can remove it.
You’re probably wondering how much it will cost.
Like many things in the plumbing world, the cost to repair a main sewer line clog depends on a number of variables. Your costs will be different depending on:
- Why the sewer line is clogged
- Where the clog is located
- What type of repair will solve the problem
Let’s take a closer look at main sewer line clog repair costs. We’ll consider different services, why you’d choose one over another, and how they’re priced.
First, a word about prices for main sewer line clog repair
In this article, we will provide price ranges for different kinds of sewer line clog repairs. You will notice that the price ranges are quite broad.
That’s because some clogs are more challenging than others, even if we’re using the same methods to fix them.
So if you see that one service costs anywhere from $3,000 to $10,000, know that your cost is just as likely to be at the high end of that range as at the low end.
Thinking you will pay the average between the high and low end of the range doesn’t really make sense when it comes to these kinds of repairs. It all depends on how difficult it is to remove or break up the clog.
With that in mind, here’s an overview of main sewer line clog repair costs.
Hydrojetting cost
Hydrojetting is a sewer line service that is effective for many types of clogs.
It works a lot like it sounds: A drain and sewer specialist literally blasts a jet of water into your sewer line to break up a blockage. It’s a lot like a pressure washer for your pipes.
Hydrojetting is an effective service when your sewer line is clogged with:
- Baby wipes or those not-actually-flushable wipes that claim to be flushable
- Feminine hygiene products
- Hardened cooking grease
- Large food remnants
- Solidified collections of food scraps
How do we know what’s clogging the sewer line? To find out, we perform a sewer camera inspection. This exercise shows us exactly what’s clogging the line and where the clog is.
Cost: $800 to $4,500
Trenchless sewer line repair cost
Trenchless repair, aka pipe patches, are useful when there’s a small crack in the sewer line.
While a crack isn’t technically a clog, it can cause a clog when objects snag on the damaged section of pipe and accumulate or when debris enters the pipe via the crack. Also, you may experience many of the same symptoms of a sewer line clog when your sewer pipe is cracked.
While trenchless repair is often the best solution for a cracked sewer line, it’s almost always done in conjunction with hydrojetting. That’s because lots of dirt and other organic material can (and does!) gets in though the crack. For the repair to be effective, you’ve got to blast it out of there.
Just keep in mind that this is basically a dual service when considering the cost for trenchless repair.
Cost: $5,300 to $9,500
Sewer pipe section replacement cost
In some cases, you’ll have more than just a crack. You’ll have a collapsed sewer pipe or tree root intrusion that makes it impossible to salvage the existing section of sewer line.
When this happens, the best solution is to excavate a section of pipe and replace it with a new pipe.
Costs can vary because the problem can be in an easy-to-access or difficult-to-access location. For example, replacing an section of pipe under a flat front yard will be less costly than replacing a damaged pipe that’s beneath a sloped driveway.
More often than not, the damaged section of pipe will use outdated sewer pipe materials, such as clay or cast iron. The new section of pipe will be made from PVC.
Cost: $2,990-$10,000
Complete sewer line replacement cost
In some cases, sewer lines experience extensive damage. Other times, they may have multiple pipe bellies or just constantly clog up. This usually happens on older properties where older pipe materials were used.
When these things happen, many people opt to completely replace their main sewer line.
With a reliable sewer line made from robust PVC piping, you can minimize the recurrence of clogs and feel confiden that everything will flow in the right direction. Needless to say, replacing your entire sewer line is usually the most costly type of main sewer line clog repair.
Cost: $5,900-$29,000
Conclusion: Main sewer line clog repair costs have wide variation
When thinking about costs for sewer line repair, it’s important to understand that the level of difficulty involved in unclogging the pipe has a significant impact on cost.
Some repairs are fairly straightforward while others require more personnel, equipment, and expertise.
All of those variables impact the cost of the service.
If you live in Metro Atlanta and are having problems with a sewer line clog, PV Heating, Cooling & Plumbing can help!
Give us a call today at (404) 798-9672 or schedule service online!
