Emergency Sewer Line Repair and Replacement in Broomfield: Camera Inspection First, Then the Fix
A sewer line is the one pipe on your property that you own but never see. When it fails, the signs come up through drains: sewage in a tub, gurgling toilets, wet ground over the line. The useful first step is a camera, because it shows whether the fix is a cleaning, a short repair or a replacement. If sewage is coming up now, stop using water and call our dispatch line.
Reach the dispatch lineSewage backing up?
(303) 567-7524Any hour, the dispatcher sends sewer backups to a plumber who can put a camera on the line.
- Stop every tap, flush and appliance cycle.
- Leave chemical cleaners on the shelf.
- Keep people and pets out of affected rooms.
Cleaning, spot repair, lining or replacement: how the choice is made
The right repair follows from what the camera shows, not from the symptom. A clog caused by grease needs cleaning, which is covered on the drain cleaning page; a crushed pipe needs replacing. Treating one as the other wastes money and time.
| Finding | Likely approach | What to ask |
|---|---|---|
| Grease, paper or soft debris with a sound pipe | Sewer line cleaning by rooter cable or jetting | How will the line be checked afterwards? |
| Roots entering at a joint | Cut roots, then repair the joint or line the pipe | How long should the fix last and what happens if roots return? |
| One cracked or offset section | Spot repair by digging to that section | How large is the excavation and who restores the surface? |
| A long run of damaged old pipe | Trenchless repair, pipe relining or bursting, or open trench replacement | Which methods suit the pipe and the yard? |
| A collapsed or crushed line | Replacement of that section | Does the SEWER program apply if the fault is under the street? |
| A missing or failed line, such as a new sewer line installation for an addition or lot | Installing a new line or replacing the old one in a new trench | Who files the permit and who restores the yard? |
| Standing water in a low spot, called a belly | Re-grading or replacing that section | Is the fall of the pipe documented on the video? |
Trenchless versus open trench repair is the biggest cost and disruption question. Trenchless work needs only small access pits and suits many straight runs; open trench is simpler to inspect and is used where the pipe has collapsed or changed direction. Before pipe relining repair work starts, the line is cleaned and scoped so the liner has a clear path. A sewer line leak repair on a lateral can be a short spot fix, and sewer leak detection is done by camera, smoke or dye depending on the leak.
Pipe material also matters. Cast iron corrodes from the inside, clay cracks at joints, and Orangeburg, a bonded fiber pipe from past decades, can deform and collapse. A plumber should say which material is on the video before recommending a method.
What a sewer camera inspection shows, and why you keep the video
A camera inspection sends a small lens through a cleanout or fixture opening and records the whole run to the main. You see the pipe, its joints, any roots, standing water and the point where the line meets the street.
- Ask for the recording itself, not just a verbal summary. It is evidence for the city, an insurer, or a later buyer.
- Ask the plumber to note the footage distance of each fault so a dig, if needed, is as short as possible.
- If you are buying or selling, a sewer scope is a separate inspection from the city’s own checks, and the video is what a buyer reads.
- The SEWER reimbursement program requires a video, so recording before any dig keeps that option open.
A city inspection looks at permit-related work; a sewer scope looks at the condition of the pipe. They answer different questions, and neither replaces the other.
Want a camera on the line before you decide?
Tell the dispatcher what is backing up and where. The plumber who takes your call can start with a recording and a written finding.
A sewer backup tonight: what to do first
Sewage is a health hazard, so the aim in the first minutes is to stop adding water and keep people out of the area.
- Stop all water use. No showers, flushing, dishwasher or laundry until the line is cleared.
- Keep contact minimal. Keep children and pets out of wet rooms and avoid bare-skin contact with the water.
- Skip chemical cleaners. They do not clear a main line and make the water dangerous for the plumber.
- Call the dispatch line. Say where the water is appearing: the lowest drain or tub is usually where the line gives out first.
- Ask about the gas check. Xcel Energy wants its gas line called ahead of any cabling of a blocked sewer.
Water that has soaked carpet or drywall is a restoration question; cleanup and drying after a sewage backup explains how that work is handled.
Your side or the city main: who owns what, and the SEWER program
Everything from the city main into and through the house is the owner’s sewer line; the main itself belongs to the city. Work beyond the property line calls for a Public Private Improvement Permit, which adds paperwork a plumber should handle.
Broomfield’s SEWER reimbursement program may cover backfill, asphalt and concrete for owner-occupied single-family homes where a line is collapsed, crushed or severely offset under the street or sidewalk. A video is required, and roots, grease and ordinary blockages do not qualify. See the city’s SEWER program page for the current terms.
That is why the order matters: record the fault, confirm where it is, then decide.
Permits, 811 and the gas check before anyone digs
Digging for a sewer repair touches several systems at once. Treat these steps as a checklist to confirm with your plumber.
| Step | Why it matters | Who handles it |
|---|---|---|
| Permit or site plan | Repairs to water and sewer lines call for a site plan filed with the Building Division | Ask the plumber who files it |
| Request a locate through Colorado 811 | Marks public utilities only; allow three business days | The plumber or owner, before digging |
| Private line locate | Colorado 811 does not mark private lines such as sprinkler lines | A private locator, if one is needed |
| Gas company check | Xcel asks that its gas line be called before clearing a sewer blockage | Ask whether it was done |
| Soil check | Expansive soil can move pipe; after a heaved slab or driveway, ask for a camera inspection | The plumber, with the permit file |
| License check | Broomfield licenses plumbing contractors on top of the state license | You, before work starts |
If the sewer repair also reveals a bad water line, the water line replacement page covers the supply side.
Sewer line questions
What is trenchless sewer lateral replacement?
It replaces or lines an old sewer pipe by working from small access holes instead of digging the full length. Pipe bursting pulls a new pipe through the old one, and lining coats the inside. It suits some pipes and yards, and a camera inspection tells the plumber whether yours qualify.
Can I get same-day or emergency sewer line service?
Calls are answered at any hour, and same-day visits are offered when demand and conditions allow. The dispatcher confirms what is possible when you call, and this page promises no arrival time.
Do I need a sewer inspection when selling or buying a home?
A camera scope is common in a sale because the line is the owner’s responsibility. Ask for the video, not just a summary, and ask the city whether any inspection applies to your sale.
What is the difference between a sewer scope and a city inspection?
A sewer scope records the condition of the pipe. A city inspection checks that permitted work meets code. One does not replace the other.
Why does my house smell like sewage?
Common causes are a dry floor drain or trap, a failed wax ring at a toilet or a vent problem. A trap that does not hold water can let sewer gas into a bathroom. If the smell persists after you run water in every drain, a camera check of the line is the next step.
Sewage coming up through a drain?
Stop water use and call. The dispatcher asks where the backup appears and routes your call accordingly.
Call (303) 567-7524