Servicing Outside Sump Pump Drain Line
THE BAD NEWS...If you have noticed water draining from the sump pump discharge line leaving your home there is a problem. If the system is working properly the water should not be pouring out.
THE GOOD NEWS...The pipes are meant to drain or leak water in order for the property owner to visually see that there is a problem. This is known as an "overflow" which is designed as a relief if the pipe is plugged downstream. If this water was not allowed to "overflow" you would likely have water in your basement!
THE SOLUTION...This is the tricky part and the reason I have created this page. Obviously the line is obstructed and the goa is to restore flow. We can help with this by attempting to clear the line by snaking or hydro-jetting it. In order to snake this line we need to have access for our snake to enter the pipe. A minimum 2" opening is required to do so and typically we find most homes do not have adequate access for this type of service. Most likely, when your home was built the builder did everything he could to save money. This means he installed the cheapest/thinnest pipe allowed (more on that in a minute) AND he did NOT install a clean out for future service which means your service provider (hopefully us) will have to cut the pipe in order to attempt to clear the line and after service is completed the line will have to be reassembled which adds to cost of service.
THE CAN OF WORMS...You may wonder what caused the system to fail/? The thin walled pipe (mentioned above) over time can become brittle and warp, crack or break which leads to root intrusion and/or dirt filling the pipe. Another common cause is build up of mineral deposits hardening in the pipe and eventually causing a blockage. This calcification builds up in layers over several years and is hard like concrete and can be EXTREMELY difficult to restore flow to a pipe when this is the issue. *The calcification problem is very common in and around Macomb Township in our area.
OPTIONS...the cheapest option is to snake out the line to restore flow. If a snake is unable to clear the line another option is to Hydro-jet the line. Hydro-jetting has a better success rate and does a more thorough job but it comes at a price. Hydro-jetting can cost 6-10x as much as snaking costs. The third option is to simply replace the line but the cost of pipe replacement can be EXTREMELY high. Factors such as underground utilities, sprinklers, tree removal can all be problems but what if your drain line goes under your patio/deck, pool, shed or garage...NIGHTMARE!
WHAT ABOUT A CAMERA...I provide this service BUT video inspection is not as useful as everyone thinks it is. If the line is plugged and full of water the camera will not provide a clear enough picture to tell you anything. If you would like to do an inspection as part of a preventative measure that is a realistic scenario. A camera can also be used to locate the line if you have no idea where it goes and are interested following the line (up until the problem area of course) in order to do a "spot repair".
*My suggestion would be to try and snake the problem first. It's the cheapest option and can provide valuable information on how to proceed next. Be aware if the line is able to be cleared it will likely need regular maintenance to keep the line open and draining properly. I usually suggest re-snaking these lines every year or every other year in order to avoid having to replace the whole line.
Note: this page was created in hopes of educating the public and saving some time trying to explain all of this over the phone. In the future I hope to include some pics, diagrams, video to make more sense of this type of problem.