The plumbing in any home or building is an amalgamation of systems designed to deliver both fresh, potable water and remove any waste sewage such as leftover bathwater or the gunk that goes down the drain when using the disposal system. However, none of these systems would function without two very important connections: the first is to the local water supply and the other is the connection to the sewage system. In some cases, the former and latter both come from the same organization like a local municipality, but it is possible to have other options. For instance, water can be provided by a private well and sewage may be handled by a septic system.
No matter how the home or business handles these situations, there is still the need for sewer & water-line replacement. A water main can break under duress or when the temperature drops and the liquid inside freezes. Sewer lines tend to have different problems even though some failures are due to breakage from being crushed by vehicles or equipment. One of them is damage caused by root invasion. This situation can occur with almost any plant as long as the pipe holds a bit of water and contains a crack or a loose joint. When roots find a steady source of nourishment, they tend to accumulate in that area, thus creating clogs, which might indicate a problem through slower drains, or grow so much that the pipe breaks. Another issue with roots is how they can cause pipe joints to separate.
Some homes were designed so the sewer and water lines are placed close together and easier to access. This doesn’t necessarily improve sewer & water-line replacement because the pipe itself may still be difficult to access from above ground. Replacing these items often requires moving a lot of soil unless the contractor plans on leaving the old pipes in place and digging a trench to hold the new ones. The main benefit is less work for both the plumber and the property owner. Full replacement usually requires massive landscape repairs while installing via a new trench typically means that some grass will need to be replaced.
