Concrete slab cut open to expose a drain line in the dirt below

Sewer line replacement in Huntsville

Madison · Decatur · North Alabama

When more than one drain backs up, the sewer line is the usual suspect. We dig up broken, sagging and root-filled lines and replace them with new pipe.

(256) 221-2847 Mon–Fri 8am–8pm

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Signs your sewer line needs work

What you might be seeing

Seeing one of these? Call (256) 221-2847 and tell us which number. It helps us plan the visit.

More than one drain backs up at once
Sewage smell in the yard or near a floor drain
A soggy or sunken strip of yard
Gurgling toilets when the washer drains
Clogs that come back soon after they're cleared

A clogged sink is a drain problem. A backup in the tub when the toilet flushes is usually a sewer line problem. The pipe that carries everything from your house to the city tap is buried, so you don’t see it fail. You see what it does to your drains.

Sewer line replacement in Huntsville yards

Most sewer lines in Huntsville run a short way under the front yard to the city tap near the street. In older neighborhoods that pipe can be cast iron or clay tile, and it has been in the ground for fifty years or more. In newer subdivisions it’s usually PVC, which lasts far longer but can still break when the ground moves.

When the line fails, we dig along its path, remove the damaged pipe and lay new PVC on a gravel bed. Then we tie it back in at the house and at the tap and backfill the trench.

Why sewer lines fail in north Alabama red clay

Red clay holds water. After a wet spring it swells, and after a dry summer it shrinks and cracks. That movement shifts buried pipe and opens the joints. Roots from nearby trees find those gaps and grow inside, catching paper and grease until the line clogs.

Signs show up slowly at first: a slow tub, a gurgle, a sewer smell in the yard. Then a backup comes on a weekend. If drain cleaning clears a line but the clog is back in a few weeks, the pipe itself is usually broken or sagging.

Sewer line repair versus a full replacement

Not every sewer problem needs a whole new line. A single cracked section, or one joint full of roots, can be dug up and replaced. We tell you which case you’re in before any digging starts.

If the line is broken in several places, sags so water sits in it, or is old clay pipe full of roots end to end, patching one spot only moves the problem. A full replacement from the house to the tap fixes the whole line at once.

Sewer cleanouts in Huntsville yards

A cleanout is a capped pipe that gives direct access to the sewer line, usually near the house or at the property line. Some older homes don’t have an outdoor cleanout, so any work on the main line has to start by pulling a toilet. When we replace a sewer line, we add a cleanout if the house doesn’t have one. That makes clearing the line much quicker the next time.

Drain and sewer lines under a slab

Many houses and commercial buildings here sit on a slab, with part of the drain line under the concrete. When that section breaks, we cut the slab along the line, replace the pipe and pour the patch. We’ve done this under homes and in commercial buildings with trenches across the floor.

We also replace sewer lines in nearby towns, including Madison and Decatur.

How a sewer line job goes

From the first call to clean-up

Step 1: Clear and locate

We open the cleanout, get the line flowing, and pin down where it's broken, sagging or packed with roots.
Step 2: Price the dig

You hear whether one section or the whole line needs replacing, and what each costs, before we dig.
Step 3: Dig and replace

We open the trench, lay new pipe on a gravel bed at the right slope, and tie in at the house and the tap.
Step 4: Test and backfill

We run water through the new line, check every joint, then backfill the trench.

Recent sewer line jobs

Drain line laid in a trench through the slab
New line bedded in gravel with a cleanout
New pipe laid in a long trench
Gravel bedding for new lines on a building site
Drains and supply lines stubbed up before the slab

Reviews from north Alabama customers

5.0 out of 5 from 38 Google reviews

Sewer line replacement near you

From our base in Decatur

Related plumbing services

Huntsville and north Alabama

Questions about sewer line service in Huntsville

How do I know whether I need a new sewer line or a drain cleaning?

Look for trouble in more than one drain at once. A toilet that gurgles when the washer drains, a backup in the lowest drain, or clogs that return a week after they're cleared all point to the main sewer line.

What causes sewer lines to break in Huntsville?

Tree roots and shifting clay cause most of it. Roots grow into the joints of older pipe, and north Alabama's red clay swells when wet and shrinks when dry, which pulls pipe out of line.

Can you replace just part of a sewer line?

Yes, when the rest of the line is sound. A single broken or sagging section can be dug up and replaced. If the line is failing in several places, a full replacement costs less in the long run.

Do you repair sewer and drain lines under a slab?

Yes. We cut the slab where the line runs, replace the broken section, and patch the concrete. It's more work than a yard dig, so we'll show you where the break is before we cut.

What pipe do you use for a new sewer line?

We lay new PVC sewer pipe on a bed of gravel, sloped so waste keeps moving. PVC doesn't rust, and its glued joints resist roots far better than old clay or cast iron joints.

What are your hours?

Monday to Friday, 8am to 8pm. Weekends by appointment. Call (256) 221-2847 to set a time.

Who owns ABD Plumbing?

Gerald Farrish Jr. owns and runs ABD Plumbing. He is an Alabama master plumber and started the company in 2013.

Need sewer line service in Huntsville?

Tell us what's going on and we'll set a time. Or send the form and we'll call you back.