Cast iron sewer pipe replacement vs. descaling vs. hydrojet in Washington DC
First time posting (apologies in advance). We've had several instances of sewer backup in our basement bathroom (toilet and tub) rental unit in Washington DC, as well as backup/gurgling in the outside drains. We had a plumber snake and video the sewer: please see the video I attached.
The invoice stated the following: "Upon arrival we pulled toilet to camera sewer noticed back graded & belly sections in the sewer pipe from inside the home to fence line in rear of property to alley way all sections were precisely located with a sewer locator device. We advised customer that snaking sewer will not fix belly or backgrade but could potentially help with removing retrieving and pushing out debris from inside sewer. We snaked sewer 50’ + & pulled back flushable wipes." W
We've had three plumbers look at this video and have received conflicting advice: (1) replace the pipes (tear up concrete and kitchen floor) - est $15k-20k; (2) hydrojet ($3500) but might only get 2 more years out of the pipes before they "go"; (3) descale ($3300) - could potentially resolve the issue.
I'm curious what ya'll recommend after seeing the video. I so appreciate your expertise!
Posted Jan 22, 2025, 2:52 AM UTC