Know what's in your sewer line before you pay to fix it
A sewer line problem is expensive to guess at. That's why every sewer job starts with a camera. We feed a high-definition camera through your cleanout and record the full length of the line, out to the city connection. You see what we see: roots, cracks, offset joints, bellies where the pipe has sagged, grease build-up or a collapse. Then we give you options and prices based on the video, not a hunch.
Buying a house? A pre-purchase sewer scope is one of the best few hundred dollars you can spend, especially on a home built before the 1970s. A home inspector won't see inside the sewer line.
Edmonton sewer lines: what we find
The material under your basement depends largely on when the house was built:
| Era | Typical sewer pipe | Common problems |
|---|---|---|
| Before ~1960 | Vitrified clay tile, some cast iron | Root intrusion at joints, cracked or offset sections, collapses |
| 1960s – 1970s | Clay, cast iron, early plastic | Roots, cast-iron scale and corrosion, bellies |
| 1980s onward | PVC or ABS plastic | Grease build-up, bellies from settling, occasional root entry at connections |
Older neighbourhoods like Highlands, Bellevue, Westmount, Glenora, Garneau, Ritchie, Bonnie Doon and King Edward Park also have mature elms and poplars on the boulevard, and their roots go straight for the moisture at clay joints.
Repair options
Cleaning and root cutting
If the pipe is structurally sound, cutting roots and jetting the line restores flow. Roots grow back, so this is maintenance, typically every 12–24 months, until you decide to repair the line.
Spot repair
When the damage is in one section, we excavate at that location (marked precisely using the camera's locator) and replace just that piece. This often makes more sense than replacing the whole line.
Full sewer line replacement
For clay lines with damage along their length, replacement with new PVC is the long-term fix. We handle the permit, the excavation, the inspection and restoring the trench. Where it's possible, trenchless methods can reduce digging under driveways and landscaping; we'll tell you honestly whether your line is a candidate.
Who owns which part? In Edmonton, the homeowner is generally responsible for the sewer service on private property, and EPCOR for the main in the street. If our camera shows the problem is on the city side, we document it so you can take it to EPCOR (780-412-4500).
Add a backwater valve while the line is open
If you're replacing or repairing the sewer line near the house, it's the cheapest time to install a backwater valve. Eligible homes can claim up to $800 back from EPCOR.