Why It’s Important to Have Your Force Main Inspected
As we mentioned above, it’s important to have your force main frequently checked and confirmed to be in good condition. This is because a sewer line that depends on a force main to actually work will be more or less crippled if the system stops working.
Force mains are used in areas where the sewer main (or septic tank) is at a higher elevation than the rest of the sewer system. As wastewater enters the force main, it is propelled uphill until it reaches a point where gravity can do the work again. If the force main isn’t working, the wastewater will accumulate at the point where it can no longer flow downhill. As you might imagine, this isn’t good. The added pressure from the wastewater buildup can cause leaks and ruptures in the pipe. It will certainly cause backups further down the system, and possibly all the way up into the house, if it isn’t dealt with quickly enough. So, if you have a force main in your system do not neglect it.
Our Force Main Inspection Services
Force main inspection can proceed a couple of different ways. We use SmartBall technology, which can detect trapped gas or leaks in a pressurized pipe by using listening equipment. This small ball can pinpoint the exact location of an issue in the force main, and can even record data so that the operator can make a more informed decision about repairs. Once enough data is accumulated, the ball can be extracted fairly easily. Another great advantage to using this method is that it can be deployed while the system is operating. You don’t need to interrupt your usual plumbing use for the inspection to take place.
Let Us Make Sure Your Force Main Stays in Top Condition
If your force main is healthy, there’s a greater chance that the rest of your sewer system will stay healthy, as well. So, make sure that you have the system inspected alongside the rest of your sewer system. Insta-Pipe provides comprehensive force main inspection services throughout the Pacific Northwest. If you need help with your force main, we can take care of it for you. Contact us today to schedule an appointment with one of our expert technicians.
You may or may not know this, but most of the drain and sewer piping in homes and commercial buildings is gravity fed. This is because it’s less energy-intensive to just let wastewater flow naturally down and out of the building, and most of the time it works pretty well. Those times that it doesn’t, though, one or two additional measures may need to be taken.