While every municipality has slightly different codes and regulations, almost all homes with sewer connections must obtain a compliance certificate before they can be sold. And if you are connected to a sanitary sewer, the only way get that certificate is to pass a dye test.
The idea is that rainwater runoff can overload a sewer system so no outdoor drains can be leaking into your sewer. This can cause sewage backups and big problems. A dye test is done to make sure storm water is not entering the sewer through cracked or otherwise compromised sewer pipes.
For a home to be sold, it must certify that its sewers are working as intended. If there is a problem with the sewer system, like a cracked sewer line, it must be repaired before the home can be sold. This is important to maintain the integrity and dependability of the sewer system, but this can cause big problems for home owners.
Historically a failed dye test meant digging up a sewer line to diagnose the problem and fix it. This could result in untold expenses because you could have to locate and dig up the entire line to find the issue, and the sewer may go under sidewalks, driveways, trees, and even roads.
Today, sewer pipe cameras enable plumbers to find out exactly where the problem is and where the sewer line goes. This saves a lot of time and money. But an even bigger innovation is trenchless sewer pipelining technology. This enables plumbers to essentially inject a new pipe inside of the old pipe to seal the line.
The new pipe liner form fits to the size of the old pipe and then hardens in place to form a seal rated to last over 50 years. This can usually be done for a fraction of the cost of digging up the old sewer line. And it does not bring any of the risks of digging up or damaging other pipes, drains, gas lines, or electrical wires. Plus it keeps sidewalks, driveways, and roads from being destroyed and needing rebuilt.
If your home fails a dye test make sure that you explore all of your options to correct the problem. Call us today at 724-335-7177 to talk about your options or to schedule a dye test.