Sewer Excavation & Collapsed Pipe Repair — Prince Frederick, MD

A homeowner in Prince Frederick had been dealing with recurring sewer backups every 3–4 months for two years. The previous plumbing company had snaked the line each time, which would clear the blockage temporarily, but the problem always returned. After heavy rain, there was a sewage smell in the basement. The homeowner was spending $200–$300 every few months on snaking and was frustrated that no one had found the root cause.

We ran a sewer camera inspection from the cleanout. At approximately 18 feet from the foundation, we found a collapsed section of cast iron pipe approximately 6 feet underground. Root intrusion from a nearby tree had accelerated the collapse. The previous snaking was clearing the roots temporarily but not addressing the structural failure of the pipe itself. The pipe had failed completely — it was no longer round, and the bottom of the pipe had corroded away.

1. 1Ran sewer camera inspection — located collapsed section 18 feet from foundation at 6 feet depth
2. 2Marked the excavation area and called 811 for utility locates
3. 3Excavated to the damaged section using a mini-excavator
4. 4Removed 8 feet of collapsed cast iron pipe
5. 5Installed new 4-inch Schedule 40 PVC with proper slope (1/4 inch per foot)
6. 6Used fernco couplings to connect new PVC to existing cast iron at both ends
7. 7Ran camera inspection to confirm clean flow and proper slope
8. 8Backfilled in compacted lifts to prevent settling
9. 9Restored surface — tamped gravel base, topsoil, and seeded grass

No sewer backups in the 14 months since repair. The homeowner received our 5-year parts and labor warranty in writing. The basement sewage smell was eliminated immediately after the repair. The homeowner calculated they had spent over $2,400 on snaking over two years — the excavation repair cost less than that and solved the problem permanently.

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