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 within weeks. After heavy rain, there was a sewage smell in the basement. The homeowner was spending on snaking every few months and was frustrated that no one had found the root cause. They called us specifically because they wanted a camera inspection — something the previous company had never offered.

We ran a live HD sewer camera inspection from the cleanout. At 18 feet from the foundation, we found a collapsed section of 4-inch cast iron pipe at approximately 6 feet of depth. The pipe had failed completely — it was no longer round in cross-section, and the bottom had corroded away, leaving a partial channel rather than a full pipe. Root intrusion from a large oak tree approximately 4 feet from the sewer line had accelerated the collapse by forcing the pipe joints apart over years. The previous snaking was clearing the root mass temporarily but could not address the structural failure of the pipe itself. We showed the homeowner the camera footage on-site — the collapse was clearly visible. Trenchless repair (pipe lining) was not an option because the pipe had lost its structural integrity; a liner requires a pipe that is still round enough to accept the sleeve.

1. 1Ran live HD sewer camera from cleanout — located collapsed section at 18 ft from foundation, 6 ft depth
2. 2Showed homeowner camera footage on-site — collapse and root intrusion clearly documented
3. 3Marked excavation area and called 811 for utility locates (electric, gas, water confirmed clear)
4. 4Excavated to the damaged section using a mini-excavator — 6-foot depth, 10-foot trench length
5. 5Removed 8 feet of collapsed 4-inch cast iron pipe
6. 6Installed new 4-inch Schedule 40 PVC with proper slope (1/4 inch per foot, confirmed with level)
7. 7Used Fernco flexible couplings to connect new PVC to existing cast iron at both ends
8. 8Ran post-repair camera inspection — confirmed clean flow, correct slope, no obstructions
9. 9Backfilled in compacted 6-inch lifts to prevent future settling
10. 10Restored 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 on the sewer work in writing. The basement sewage smell was eliminated immediately after the repair. The homeowner noted they had paid for multiple snaking visits over two years — the excavation repair solved the problem permanently. The post-repair camera footage confirmed the new pipe was flowing cleanly at the correct slope.

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