Depending on what the camera finds, your options range from simple to invasive:
Driving heavy trucks over your yard, parking an RV on the easement, or even prolonged drought can shift the soil and crack your sewer line. Once the pipe settles unevenly, you can get a “belly” (a low spot where water and solids collect) or a complete offset where one pipe section drops below another. The Warning Signs: Listen to Your House A full sewer backup rarely happens without warning. Your home will send you signals—subtle, then increasingly urgent. The key is recognizing them before you have a basement full of sewage. clogged sewer line
If your home was built before 1975, your sewer line is likely made of clay, cast iron, or Orangeburg pipe (a tar-impregnated paper pipe from the 1950s–70s). Clay pipes crack and separate at the joints. Cast iron rusts and develops rough internal surfaces that grab debris. Orangeburg pipe literally collapses over time, flattening under the weight of soil. Even if you never flush anything wrong, the pipe itself can fail. Depending on what the camera finds, your options
A heavy-duty motorized snake with a cutting blade can chop through roots and break up dense clogs. It’s faster than hydro-jetting but less thorough—it punches a hole through the clog rather than cleaning the pipe walls. It’s a good first response for an emergency backup. Your home will send you signals—subtle, then increasingly