Installing a new sewer line sounds like it should be a rather straightforward process. You dig a trench, lay a line, and make some connections. However, installing a new line is far more complicated than it seems. In fact, the majority of property owners do hire a professional to do the work because there are so many things that can go wrong and so many potential areas that can cause problems.
Before you decide that sewer line installation could be a simple DIY task, it is best if you get to know some of the details about the project. Here is a look at some of the things that have to be determined before a sewer line is placed in the ground.
Determine the elevation of each end of the new line.
You have to know the elevation of each connection point and how they compare. Otherwise, the sewage will not flow properly through the line. If your home is at a higher elevation than the sewage exit point, you may not have a major issue with the flow. However, if the connecting point at the home is lower than the exit point, certain actions will have to be taken in order to get the sewage to flow properly. For example, an ejector pump may have to be installed midway just to encourage flow.
Determine the slope of the ground where the line will run.
Another major factor that can affect how the sewage will flow through the line is the slope of the ground. If the ground is sloped up and down, the line may have to be inserted at different depths to create a more even flow path. If a slope is especially high or low, implements may have to go in with the line to help with the flow rate of the sewage.
Determine the depth that the line should go.
This one thing is where a lot of DIYers go wrong. You do have to determine the proper depth for the line, and, yes, you can Google the topic to get an idea. The problem is that there can be different depth requirements depending on where you live. For example, a sewer line may have to go deeper in the ground somewhere up north where the ground can freeze deeper because of colder temperatures, but a sewer line may also need to be deeper due to local regulations.
Share14 February 2020
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