The 5 Stages of Sewer Maintenence Grief

If you’re a home or business owner, chances are you will have to deal with an expensive sewer-related repair sometime within the next ten years. This is never welcome news, so we thought we would walk you through some common stages of thought before you finally get around to biting the bullet and investing in your sewer line cleaning or sewer replacement.

Stage 1: “Bah Humbug. There’s nothing wrong with my sewer.”
Denial is a common first stage in the sewer maintenance process. You’ll convince yourself that it’s normal for the toilets to bubble like caldrons out of a Macbeth production every time you use the washing machine. You’ll grow accustomed to the three inches of water at your feet every time you take a shower. But unless you want to watch raw sewage come burping up out of the drain one of these days, we urge you to push through denial and move straight onto…

Stage 2: “Aaargh! On top of everything else I have to deal with sewer line cleaning??!?
Otherwise known as anger. It’s normal to be upset about having to undertake a sewer line replacement or sewer drain cleaning, especially after a cursory look at the prices! Even having a plumber undertake a sewer line cleaning the old fashioned way, i.e., with a snake, can cost as much as $200. If you get over your gut reaction quickly though and cool your jets long enough to do some research, you should enter the third stage of sewer maintenance grief seamlessly…

Stage 3: “Alright, what kind of deals can I get.”
Bargaining. Sewer line repair is a troublesome and large undertaking, but there is now new “trenchless” technology on the market that you may not be aware of. Trenchless methods could make the process go a lot quicker and won’t involve tearing up your front yard or business parking lot. While these no-dig methods can be pricey, it might even work out that you save money using them since you won’t have to pay the landscaper afterwards to put your house back in order. Still, good luck avoiding stage four…

Stage 4: “This is the worst. Woe is me. There goes my nest egg. I hate everything! Fie on you, Sewer Repair!”
There’s really no way around it; having to replace or clean out your sewer is a depressing prospect. This is why it’s always a good idea to have a little money put back for just such an emergency. Having a plan of action and being prepared for the worst will lead you to the ultimate goal of your sewer line cleaning mental journey…

Stage 5: “Oh fine. Fire up Angie’s List. Let’s get cracking.”
Acceptance. Because when all is said and done, replacing or cleaning your sewer system really isn’t an option–it’s a necessity if you want to keep your property strong and in good working order. So go on, get to work! And try to take comfort in the fact that you’re far from alone. In one survey done by Angie’s list, fully 25% of users had experienced some level of sewer-related woe in the recent past.