Sewage coming up in the house
A sewer backup is an emergency because the water is not clean and it keeps coming. If sewage rises in a floor drain, a tub or the lowest toilet, stop using every fixture and call the 24/7 line. The sooner the plumber sees the line, the smaller the cleanup.
We send a licensed plumber with a cable and a camera. Same-day appointments are offered when available, and night and weekend calls are handled by the same line. We also serve Fairland and nearby towns.
Water or sewage in the basement
The lowest drain is the first place a blocked main shows itself. Sewage here means the line is full to the house.
Gurgling toilets and tubs
When a toilet bubbles after the washer drains, air and water are fighting for the same shared pipe.
Slow drains at every fixture
Upstairs and downstairs slow together means the problem is below all of them.
Sewer smell in the yard
A damp, sunken or greener patch over the line points to a leak in the pipe.
Repeat backups after cabling
A cable that clears the line and fails within weeks says the pipe is cracked, bellied or full of roots.
Do these while the plumber is on the way
Sewage backups carry bacteria, so keep it simple and keep clear.
Stop all water use
No flushing, showers, dishwasher or washer. Each gallon you send down comes back up at the lowest drain.
Keep out of the water
Wear rubber boots and gloves if you must cross it. Keep children and pets away and do not use a household vacuum on sewage.
Open the area to air
Open a window if the smell is strong. Leave the house if anyone feels sick or dizzy.
Photograph for your insurer
Take pictures of the water line and the damage before anything is moved. Your policy may cover backup damage only with a sewer backup endorsement.
How we find where the line is broken
Cable the blockage
If sewage is backing up, the first move is to open the line with cleaning so the house is usable. The cable head also brings back clues: soil, roots, scale or pipe chips.
Run the sewer camera
A waterproof camera on a push rod shows cracks, offset joints, a belly that holds water, root intrusion or a collapse. Footage is saved so you can see it. Many utilities describe defects in NASSCO's PACP coding, and asking for the same terms makes quotes easier to compare.
Locate the break
A transmitter on the camera head lets the plumber trace the spot from the surface and measure its depth and distance from the cleanout.
Choose the repair method
The plumber explains the options with the footage in front of you. Digging, lining and pipe bursting each fit different damage.
Dig, burst or line: choosing the repair
| Method | Best when | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| Dig and replace | Short run, shallow pipe, crushed or heavily offset section | Most reliable fit. Yard, driveway or slab must be opened and restored |
| Pipe bursting | Long run of old clay or cast iron with access at both ends | Pulls a new pipe along the old path. Needs entry pits and clear space |
| Cured-in-place lining | Pipe is cracked or rooted but still round and in line | No trench. Does not fix a collapsed or badly offset pipe |
Is trenchless lining right for your pipe?
Lining pulls a resin-soaked felt tube into the old pipe, inflates it, and cures it to form a new pipe inside the old one. It shrinks the inside diameter a little, so the camera must show the host pipe is round and clear of heavy offsets first. ASTM F1216 is the standard practice for this resin-tube method, so ask which standard and wall thickness the proposed liner is designed to.
Lining works well
- Hairline cracks and open joints
- Root entry at sound pipe
- Long runs under driveways and landscaping
- Pipe still holds its shape
Dig or burst instead
- Collapsed or crushed sections
- A belly that holds water
- Severe offsets at joints
- Branch connections that cannot be reinstated
Camera found a break?
Ask the plumber for the footage and the repair options in writing. Call if you want a second set of eyes on a quote.
Cast iron sewer pipe in older homes
Cast iron served well for decades, but it rusts from the inside. Scale narrows the bore, and the pipe eventually cracks along the bottom where waste sits. Pre-1940 houses, like many of the 373 contributing buildings in the West Side Historic District, can still have cast iron and clay drains under floors and yards.
That is why a sewer camera inspection is cheaper than guessing. Short sections of failed cast iron can be cut out and replaced with PVC. Whole-line failure usually points to lining or replacement, and epoxy patching is a short-term fix at best.
If you also have rusted supply lines, repiping can be planned alongside the work. If the cast iron runs under a slab or through a finished basement, ask about lining first, since it avoids breaking concrete. If a long run is rotting, a full replacement also lets you move the cleanout to a better spot.
Repairs still need a permit in the city. Only registered plumbing contractors can apply for plumbing permits in Shelbyville, and the work is held to the Indiana Plumbing Code, which the city lists as the 2012 edition. Ask the plumber to confirm replacement PVC drain pipe is marked to an ASTM standard such as D2665, and to show you the permit before the trench is backfilled.
Septic systems in Shelby County
Not every Shelbyville-area home is on city sewer. In Shelby County, the Health Department's Environmental Division issues permits for residential and commercial sewage disposal systems that are not connected to a regulated sewage facility. The permit fee is $300, and all repairs and new construction must be inspected and signed off by county inspectors.
The county keeps septic records back to 1955, so ask the Health Department before you dig. Septic tanks and drain fields are a different job from a sewer lateral, so tell dispatch which system you have when you call.
Source type: Shelby County Health Department, Environmental Division (county page)
What drives the cost of sewer line repair
Sewer work varies more than almost any other plumbing job. After the camera, you get a written price for the method that fits your pipe.
Homeowner policies often exclude damage from wear, roots or age, and cover water backup only with an endorsement. Ask your insurer before work starts and keep the camera footage.
Sewer line repair questions from Shelbyville homeowners
Yes. The 24/7 line takes sewer backups at any hour. A licensed plumber is sent to open the line and camera it, and the repair itself can be scheduled for a daytime crew if it needs excavation. Same-day appointments are offered when available.
Clogs that return within weeks, a belly shown on camera, soil on the cable, or a sunken yard spot suggest a break. A camera settles it.
On a round, aligned pipe with cracks or roots, lining gives a smooth new inner pipe with no trench. On a collapsed or bellied pipe, it does not, and digging is the right call.
Insurance varies by policy. Standard homeowner coverage often excludes flood and requires an endorsement for sewer backup. Call your insurer and keep photos.
A patch can seal a pinhole, but it will not restore a rotten pipe. Ask the plumber for the camera footage and what share of the line looks sound.
Typically yes. In the city, only registered plumbing contractors can apply for plumbing permits, and homeowners working on their own home must get a permit first. Outside the city, permit rules vary, so ask the building department.
Septic repairs need a county permit and inspection, and the Health Department's Environmental Division handles both. Tell dispatch on the call so the right plumber is sent.