Why YSK: I used to be a drain cleaner. EVERY SINGLE DAY I had people coming to me for a second opinion because they were told they had to replace their sewer line for 5 grand. In the two years I spent drain cleaning, I only came across a whopping FOUR people that actually needed their sewer line replaced and well over a hundred that were told they had to. Here are some of the many tactics these companies use:

-The most common one is that they couldn’t get their blades past a blockage so the line must be broken. If this were true, the blades would come back with either mud on them, or completely clean and shiny. Even then, there are lots of other reasons why they could be shiny so it’s not a definite break in the line.

-They clean the line with small or sometimes even no blades. If it’s the mainline, at least 3 inch blades should be used. Preferably 4 inch though. But some companies don’t do that. So they will poke a hole into the blockage, and everything will run just fine...for a few days. Shortly after, that tiny hole will close again and you’ll call them back out. They’ll try to convince you it’s because the line is broken when it’s not.

-They make you think roots in the mainline are a huge deal and the line must be replaced. Roots are the most common cause of sewer line backups. It’s incredibly common and should be expected if you have a tree near your sewer line. Some people will go ten years before their first root caused backup because it can take time for the roots to get through the pipe. Your sewer line is still in good shape. Just get it snaked every year and use root killer to slow the growth.

-They scope the line and find bellies with sitting water or small offsets. While not ideal, most houses have them and it’s not necessarily a big deal. It’s something to keep an eye on, not waste 5-10 grand on.

Here’s some general tips regarding the trade:

-If the company doesn’t have the prices online, don’t tell them if you’re renting out the house. If you’re a landlord they’ll assume you’ve got extra cash and up charge you.

-If your basement has a floor drain, get a $10 water alarm. If it ever backs up, you’ll know immediately and stop the spread of water before it causes massive amounts of damage. This is particularly important if you don’t go into the basement often. I once went to an elderly lady’s house that had a foot of water in the basement. She was too old to go downstairs and didn’t notice the smell because she was hooked up to an oxygen tank thingy. Decades of memories stored in boxed were destroyed.