Sewer Line Replacement in Loveland, CO

Sewer line replacement means installing a new pipe for the full length, or most of the length, of your home's building sewer, from where it leaves the foundation to where it connects to the city's main. Replacement is the answer when the old pipe has too many defects to patch, when the material itself is failing, or when spot repairs keep chasing new problems a few feet away.

There are two main ways to do it. Open-trench replacement digs along the line, removes the old pipe and lays new pipe on a properly graded bed. Trenchless replacement, usually pipe bursting, pulls a new pipe through the path of the old one from a pit at each end, breaking the old pipe outward as it goes. Our page on trenchless sewer repair Loveland goes deeper into trenchless methods and when they fit.

Either way, the new line is usually modern plastic pipe with sealed joints, which resists root intrusion far better than old clay with mortar or gasketed joints. A new line also gives you the chance to add a proper cleanout near the house if there is not one, which makes future service simpler.

Replacement is a bigger decision than sewer line repair Loveland, so it should be backed by evidence. Ask for a sewer camera inspection Loveland and for the footage, so you see the condition of the pipe for yourself. We are a referral service: calling (970) 693-9705 connects you with an independent local contractor who sets their own price and handles the work.

Age is the plainest reason. Loveland was founded in 1877 and incorporated in 1881, and the downtown historic district's period of significance starts in 1878. A 1999 city survey looked at more than 2,300 historic properties. In houses that old, the original sewer line may be clay laid in short sections with mortar joints, and every joint is a place where roots and soil can get in.

Mid-century homes have their own weak spot. Orangeburg pipe was installed until the 1970s and lasts about 50 years at best. Homes built in the 1950s, 1960s and early 1970s, a period when Loveland grew around the Hewlett-Packard plant that opened in southwest Loveland in the 1960s, are worth checking for it. Clay pipe from the 1940s to 1960s also tends to crack where soils shift, as nearby Boulder's sewer program notes.

Ground movement wears pipe down too. Expansive clay soils swell and shrink with moisture, and the Colorado Geological Survey names disrupted sewer lines among the results. Over decades, that movement can pull joints apart, crack pipe and create bellies that hold water. Frost is less of a factor for sewer lines laid below the 30-inch design frost depth, but shallow sections near the house or under driveways can see more stress.

Roots take advantage of all of this. Loveland's urban forest is about 25,000 public trees, with ash making up about 20 percent. Even where ash trees have been removed for emerald ash borer, other mature trees on older streets keep sending roots toward leaking joints. Once roots have broken pipe in several places, replacement often makes more sense than cutting them out year after year.

Open trench is often straightforward on a lot with open lawn, a shallow line and few obstacles. It lets the contractor correct slope problems, such as a long belly, because the pipe is laid fresh on a new graded bed. It also makes the most mess, so restoration of lawn, sprinklers and landscaping should be part of the plan.

Trenchless replacement suits lots where the line runs under a driveway, a mature tree, a patio or a finished walkway. It usually needs a pit near the house and one near the connection, so less of the yard is disturbed. It is not right for every line. A pipe with a severe belly or a collapsed section may need some excavation anyway, and very old clay can behave differently than plastic when burst.

In the historic core, lots are often narrow and lines can be shallow near the house and deeper near the street or alley. If you own an older home there, our Downtown Loveland drain cleaning page and the article on old sewer pipes in historic homes explain what you are likely to find. If you are trying to sort out who covers what, read who pays for a clogged sewer line in Loveland.

Replacement is usually planned, but sometimes the line decides for you. If the pipe has collapsed and nothing drains, if sewage is surfacing in the yard, or if a sinkhole is opening over the line, it is time to act. Stop using water, keep people away from any sewage or open ground, and call (970) 693-9705. Calls are answered 24/7.

An after-hours provider may be able to set up a temporary bypass or clear enough of the line to restore partial flow while the replacement is planned and permitted. Ask what interim options exist, since permits and utility locates take time even in an urgent situation.

If the problem looks like it is in the street or the city main, for example sewage coming up from a manhole, call Loveland Water and Power at 970-962-3000.

A new plastic sewer line with sealed joints should resist roots and handle normal use for decades, but it is not invincible. Grease still hardens in cold pipe, and wipes still snag. Keep using strainers, dispose of grease in the trash or a city Fat Trapper kit, and flush only toilet paper.

Keep the final camera video and permit records with your house papers. Buyers often order a sewer scope, and a documented replacement answers that question quickly.

Watch the trench line for settling in the first year, especially after the first wet spring. Clay soils compact over time, and a low spot in the lawn is easier to fix early. Tell the contractor if you notice settling, as many address it as part of their work.

Finally, if you have trees near the new line, keep them watered in dry spells. Healthy trees with enough water near the surface are less likely to hunt deep for moisture around your sewer.

For every drain and sewer service in one place, see our drain cleaning Loveland overview.