Homeowners in Dallas, Fort Worth, San Antonio and other parts of Texas often experience more plumbing problems than those in other parts of the country. Many common plumbing problems result from age and/or neglect, which is the main reason why people with older houses tend to experience more frequent issues. In Texas, however, one of the main underlying issues is that so many homes are built on dense clay soil. Clay is much more prone to shifting than other types of soil, and this movement can pose significant concerns for underground water and sewer lines.
Why Soil Type Matters for Underground Plumbing
The composition of the soil around the house directly impacts how well water drains out of the ground and how much water the ground holds. Sandy soil is made up of fine grains, allowing water to quickly drain away after it rains and whenever you irrigate the landscaping. Clay soil is made up of much finer, sticky particles, making it far denser and allowing it to hold much more water.
Sandy soil can sometimes get washed away, but it generally doesn’t have much of an issue with water causing it to sink or shift. This is why underground water and sewer lines are almost always surrounded by a bedding of sand, silt or fine gravel. Clay soil, on the other hand, is far more expansive.
When wet clay expands, it puts additional stress on underground plumbing lines. Clay soil then contracts as it dries out. Over time, this continual cycle of expansion and contraction can result in significant soil settling and shifting, creating the potential for underground pipe damage and serious water and sewer line problems.
How Clay Soil Can Impact Underground Water and Sewer Lines
Texas clay soil and plumbing issues are often directly related. During periods of prolonged rain, clay soil can absorb so much water that it expands to the point where it exerts enough force to cause underground plumbing lines to crack or break. The stress from the soil frequently expanding can also result in pipe fittings becoming loose over time, resulting in a water or sewer line leak. Texas homes are particularly prone to underground plumbing issues because most of them are built on a concrete slab foundation, meaning many of their water, drain and sewer pipes are buried in the ground underneath the house.
While soil movement can cause major underground plumbing leaks, it can also result in tiny pinhole leaks that may remain undetected for a long time. Soil expansion and contraction can lead to rocks rubbing against pipes, slowly weakening and thinning them until small holes develop. Hidden leaks like these can then lead to bigger problems, as the water causes the soil to expand and shift even more.
Sewer line problems are especially common with clay soil. A house’s main sewer line is always installed at a slight angle, sloping downward from the foundation to where it connects to the municipal sewer main. This angle or grade ensures that waste and water drain out of the line properly.
The continual expansion and contraction of clay soil can eventually result in part of the sewer line sagging, resulting in a belly forming that causes waste to get trapped. Excessive soil movement can also lead to a sewer line sagging and shifting so much that it has too steep of a grade. If the angle is too steep, the water from flushing a toilet will usually outpace the solid waste and toilet paper and result in these solids remaining stuck within the line.
Issues like a belly in a sewer line or improper slope typically lead to clogs that eventually result in severe sewage backups within the home. Not only can a sewage backup pose a serious health hazard, but it can also cause significant property damage and mold issues.
The Importance of Preventive Plumbing Maintenance and Inspections
Just because your property has clay soil doesn’t necessarily mean you’re going to encounter major problems with your underground plumbing. Nonetheless, the risks are such that it’s a good idea to regularly have your plumbing inspected by a professional.
Camera inspections allow a plumber to evaluate the condition of underground water and sewer lines without needing to dig them up. The camera lets the plumber see pipes from the inside, making it easy to spot issues like cracks, clogs and obstructions. If they find any type of minor problem early enough, you may still be able to have it fixed without needing to pay the high cost of a full pipe replacement.
At Jim's Plumbing Now, our Dallas/Fort Worth plumbers also have advanced tools and methods that allow us to detect hidden leaks behind walls or even slab leaks underneath a home’s foundation. Using non-invasive methods, like thermal imaging, moisture meters and static testing, we can quickly identify and locate leaks and then determine the best way to fix the problem with minimal disruption to your home and property.
Regular maintenance is also key to avoiding major issues, especially with your home’s sewer line. Having a plumber hydro jet or snake your sewer line at least yearly is an easy way to avoid clogs, backups and other common problems.
How to Spot the Signs of Underground Plumbing Problems
While regular plumbing inspections are important for identifying and preventing issues, you should still make sure to monitor your plumbing for any signs of a potential problem. Wet spots on walls, ceilings or floors, visible mold growth, unusual moldy odors and flooring that’s started to warp or pull away from the subfloor are all common signs of plumbing leaks. A sudden, unexpected spike in your monthly water usage is also a sure sign that there’s a hidden leak somewhere on the property.
Sewer line issues can manifest themselves in numerous ways as well. Some of the key things to watch for are frequent drain clogs, slow drains, toilets that don’t flush completely and gurgling or bubbling sounds coming from drain pipes. If you start smelling sewage near your plumbing fixtures, it’s usually an indication that your sewer line is obstructed or damaged and may soon start backing up. A strong sewage odor outside the house is even more worrisome, as this often indicates that the sewer line is leaking. If your sewer line is leaking, you may also notice a patch of overly lush, green grass in the area where the leak is.
At Jim's Plumbing Now, our experienced team is ready to help if you’re experiencing any plumbing problems in Dallas, TX. We offer the full range of plumbing services, including leak detection, drain and sewer cleaning and pipe repairs. We serve both residential and commercial customers and have a reputation as the number one plumbing company in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. Our team can handle any size of job, big or small, and we bring the same level of dedication and customer service to every project. If you’re searching for a DFW or San Antonio plumber you can depend on, contact the local experts at Jim's Plumbing Now today.
