Guest Column: Too good to be true?

Too good to be true?
By Mitch Gebauer
Service Manager, Garvin’s Sewer Service
 
Have you ever received a flyer in the mail or heard an advertisement on the radio about a free or a discounted price on a video inspection of your sewer line?
 
This seems to be a great deal, but like all good things, there just may be a catch. Please know some companies offer promotions to open the door for the opportunity to get thousands of dollars from you, by replacing or repairing a sewer line that doesn’t need to be fixed.
 If you do decide to go with one of these promotions, here are 5 pointers:

1. First, don’t waste money trying to camera a line full of water. If your sewer line is plugged up all you will see is a pipe full of water or debris. 
2. Make sure you are with the service tech when he is doing the inspection and have him scan the area he is working in with the camera, so you know that it’s your home sewer line that he is taping. Watch the monitor with the tech, and ask questions. When done, ask for the recording of your sewer line, if they can’t produce one be very leery, especially if they want to replace your sewer line. 
3. Don’t be alarmed by seeing tree roots growing into your sewer line. Just finding roots in your line does not mean that your sewer line needs to be replaced, as this is a normal occurrence with homes that have clay tile pipes. All you may need is to clean the roots out of the sewer line at least once a year.
4. Some sewer lines will have low spots, which means it has a belly and can cause a back up. Again remember that the camera rides on the bottom of pipe and sometimes this makes the low spot looks worse than it really is. If the low spot is only a couple of feet long it really isn’t worth digging up the sewer line. Once again preventive maintenance on the sewer line could save you thousands of dollars. 
5. If there is a problem with the sewer line, a reputable company will mark the spot and give you a fair price. It is always a good idea to get a second or even a third estimate. A couple hundred dollars could save you thousands!

In closing, be aware what’s going on when hiring a camera inspection for your sewer line. The cheapest price doesn’t always mean the best or honest service. If there is any doubt about the condition of your sewer line, always get a second opinion, the money that you spend just might save you thousands of dollars. Preventive maintenance on the sewer line goes a long way to prevent a collapse or a break in the line. Additionally, using root killer to slow down root growth can save your sewer line for years to come.
 
(303) 571-5114
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www.GarvinsSewerService.com