Underground problems with your sewer line can cause expensive damage in your home. It can even cause sinkholes on your property, or in the alleys and streets. That is precisely why most municipal wastewater management divisions suggest that all homes have their sewer pipes inspected regardless of whether it is a new home purchase, a turn of the century home, or a home that is having minor sewer problems. Having your sewer pipe inspected can save you hundreds if not thousands of dollars.

Roots make their way into sewer pipes looking for water and nutrients; they begin by working their way in between pipe joints until the roots are able to grow inside the pipe. As the roots continue to grow, the affected joint expands and can cause the pipe to separate at the joint. This creates two different problems. Root balls develop and can cause sewage to collect in the pipe. This can result in consistent and recurring backup. Secondly, over time raw sewage leaking from joint separations can cause the ground underneath to erode and shift. Shifting of ground can cause pipes to fracture, and joints to separate and offset. As pipes shift, they lose their required grade toward the city's main sewer line.

Pipe separation can be caused by poor pipe connections, shifts in the ground, and roots. It is also common to see pipe separation problems after extreme weather changes such as long droughts, heavy precipitation, or a succession of the two.