Before You Dig Up the Yard, Ask to See the Pipe

Nobody calls a plumber hoping to buy a new sewer line. You call because the drain is slow, the toilet is backing up or something unpleasant has appeared where it certainly doesn’t belong. You want someone knowledgeable to explain the problem and get your house back to normal.

Then comes the news: the whole line needs to go. And the estimate is enough to make you sit down.

Maybe the recommendation is right. But looking at unfamiliar images on a camera screen, how are you supposed to know? The last thing a worried homeowner needs is to wonder whether someone is selling them unnecessary work or trying to pull a fast one.

01A Recent Case Brings That Concern Home

In October 2026, the Pennsylvania Attorney General announced a settlement with a group of home improvement businesses that included $700,000 in consumer restitution. The civil case alleged that customers who called about a “$93 or Free Clog Crusher Special” were told a snake couldn’t clear their clog and that they needed costly excavation.

The settlement requires technicians who sell sewer excavation to hold NASSCO lateral assessment certification, recommendations to be backed by documented defects, and customers to be told they can get a second opinion. It was not a criminal conviction or an admission of wrongdoing. Read the Attorney General’s announcement.

Remember those undercover television investigations where companies were called to diagnose a simple, deliberately created problem? When someone recommended an expensive replacement, it was hard not to get frustrated on the homeowner’s behalf.

Most of us are willing to pay for skilled work. We just want confidence that it is necessary. Good contractors welcome the chance to explain their recommendations.

02“Can You Show Me?” Is a Reasonable Question

You do not need to become a sewer expert, but you should understand why a major repair is being recommended.

Ask to watch the inspection on the technician’s monitor or, if supported, through a live feed on your phone. More important than the viewing method is a clear record connecting the footage to your property.

Ask the technician to show you the access point before inserting the camera. Request the full video, the documented address and date, a distance counter and a written explanation of the findings. A location sketch can help identify the affected section.

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Have the contractor walk you through it. Where does the damage begin and end? What does the surrounding pipe look like? Did the camera reach the public sewer connection? Did water or debris prevent a complete inspection?

A screenshot of something alarming does not tell the whole story. Those questions help you understand it. They also give an honest contractor room to explain what the footage shows and what remains uncertain. Water, debris and poor image quality can hide defects, so the limits of the inspection matter.

03The Cause Matters More Than the Scare

Anyone who has dealt with a sewage backup understands the urge to agree to almost anything that promises to make it stop. But different problems need different solutions.

Grease or debris may require cleaning. Roots can enter through a joint or damaged section. They need to be cleaned out first, and then the opening can be sealed with a sectional repair such as PipePatch or with a liner. Cracks and open joints may be localized, while deterioration can extend through much of a line. A sag, or “belly,” can hold water and collect debris.

Finding one damaged section does not explain why every foot of pipe needs replacing. Ask what is wrong, how much is affected and why the proposed repair fits.

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04Old Pipes Deserve a Closer Look

Clay pipes can crack or shift at joints. Cast iron can corrode and accumulate buildup. Concrete can deteriorate. Orangeburg, a bituminous fiber pipe found in some older sewer laterals, deserves particular scrutiny for deformation and deterioration. Even newer PVC and ABS systems can have problems caused by installation, movement or damage.

Age and material help guide an inspection, but neither is a diagnosis. Soil conditions, installation and the operating environment influence performance.

“Your pipes are old” is a reason to look more closely. It is not much of an explanation for a major replacement bill.

05Know Your Repair Options

Depending on the condition, access and local requirements, the answer could be cleaning, sectional repair, full-length lining or excavation.

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When damage extends through a longer portion of the line, full-length cured-in-place pipe, commonly called CIPP, may be an option. A contractor installs a resin-saturated liner inside the existing pipe and cures it in place, creating a new lining within the old pipe. Depending on the project, this can rehabilitate a substantial length of sewer without digging a continuous trench through the yard or driveway.

That does not mean every pipe is a candidate. The line must be evaluated and prepared before installation, and access or excavation may still be needed. Because the liner follows the existing pipe’s path and grade, it will not straighten a sag, and collapsed or badly deformed sections may need other work first. Ask the contractor what preparation is required, how any connections will be handled and why lining is appropriate for your sewer.

You may also hear about other trenchless methods, such as pipe bursting, which pulls a new pipe through the old one between two small pits. Whatever is proposed, ask why it fits your line.

06Where PipePatch Fits

Unlike a full-length liner, a sectional repair focuses on a limited area of damage. If the damage is concentrated in one area and the surrounding pipe remains suitable for service, why not ask about repairing just that section?

Fernco PipePatch is a sectional CIPP system for localized repairs in gravity, non-pressure piping. A trained installer positions the repair at the defect rather than lining or replacing the entire sewer.

After inspection, cleaning and confirmation of suitability, fiberglass saturated with a two-part silicate resin is wrapped around an inflatable installation packer, moved into position and cured inside the pipe. The completed repair is then inspected.

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Suitable applications can include localized cracks, holes, open joints and root intrusion once the roots are cleaned out. Repairing only the affected section can reduce the work and disturbance above it. That matters when your sewer runs beneath a driveway or landscaping you would rather keep intact.

PipePatch does not correct a sag, rebuild a collapsed section or make badly deformed pipe suitable for service. Obstructions must be addressed first, and the installer must confirm proper positioning and installation.

Ask: “Could a sectional repair such as PipePatch address this damage? If not, why?”

07Sometimes Digging Is the Right Answer

A collapsed section may need reconstruction. An improper slope may need correction. A contractor should not be dismissed simply for recommending excavation.

But sometimes excavation can be localized. Replacing one section and replacing an entire lateral are different jobs. Ask why the proposed scope is necessary and what surface restoration is included.

Connecting the replacement to the existing system matters, too, particularly when materials or outside diameters differ. Fernco Strong Back RC couplings are one option for buried repairs and transitions. Their flexible sleeve and stainless steel reinforcement help support alignment and resist shear forces. The contractor selects the right coupling for the materials and measured outside diameters, following the installation instructions and local requirements.

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08Give Yourself Permission to Get Another Opinion

For a major recommendation, another qualified inspector can review the footage, and another contractor can provide a written estimate. Compare the scope, not just the price.

Ask about training, permits, restoration, warranty coverage and before-and-after footage. If trenchless repair has been ruled out, ask what makes it unsuitable. You do not have to apologize for asking.

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Download the printable checklist (PDF) or email the questions to yourself.

If there’s a sewage backup or a health concern, deal with it promptly. Ask what is needed now to stabilize the situation and what decisions can wait for a complete assessment.

Nobody wants to be taken advantage of during a messy, expensive problem at home. Clear evidence and a patient explanation can ease that worry.

Before replacing a sewer line, ask to see it. Ask what is wrong and what your options are. If the damage is limited to a suitable section, ask whether the repair can be limited to that section, too.

Learn more about Fernco PipePatch and ask a qualified installer whether sectional repair is appropriate for your sewer.

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