Five signs your sewer line needs a look

Most sewer line failures give warning before they turn into a backup in the basement. The trick is knowing what to watch for.

Start with the drains. If one sink is slow, the problem is usually local. If every drain in the house has slowed down and toilets gurgle when the washing machine empties, the main line is the more likely culprit.

Outside, look for a strip of grass that is greener or soggier than the rest of the yard, or a sinkhole forming along the line's path. Both can mean the pipe is leaking underground.

Older clay and cast iron lines are also magnets for tree roots. Repeat clogs in the same place, a few months apart, usually mean roots are getting back in rather than a one-off blockage.

A camera inspection tells us exactly what is happening before anyone digs. In many cases the line can be replaced trenchlessly, which keeps your driveway and landscaping intact.