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Have a question? Email Us | Use Form Sewer Repair or Replacement < Back to Plumbing & Drains < Back to Resources Waste piping carries your used water from the washing machine, kitchen sink, bathtubs, lavatories, and toilets to either the city sewer or septic system.  The type of material used to make the piping varies upon the time in which you home was made and the application.  Most homes built prior to 1955 were made of cast iron pipe and the pipe was joined by fittings called hub joints that were poured with lead.  Some cast iron piping is still used today, typically from the main sewer in the street to 2 feet on the property line and are connected by service weight gaskets, or fernco couplings with sheer bands.  During the Vietnam war era, a compressed cardboard soaked and hardened called Orangeburg was used a substitute to save metal, over a course of time the piping starts absorbing liquid and begins to flatten, closing off the flow of waste water.  Prior to 1950 some piping was mad with a clay pipe or Terracotta.  The joints were sealed with concrete this piping has an outside that was either round or octagonal.  Over the course of time the integrity of the pipe remained good but the joints revealed hair line cracks and allowed tree or bush roots to penetrate and eventually fills the pipe with a root ball.  Asbestos piping was popular in the 60’s and 70’s but proved to have it’s own health issues as well as not standing the course of time.  PVC piping is the predominate material used in waste piping since 1985.  The joints are glued as some describe but in actuality a primer is used to open the pores of the outside pipe and a PVC glue is used to melt the pipe and fittings together making an impenetrable seal.  Repair or replacement can be done by either trenching or replacing some or all the piping to include cleanouts on the exterior of the home for easy accessibility, or a trench less method that either pulls a liner or sprays a substance coating the interior of the existing pipe. Have a problem? View our Troubleshooting Tips Below > To order Service, Installation or Repairs: Have a question? Email Us | Use Form TROUBLESHOOTING TIPS Who should I call if my sinks don’t drain or my toilets are overflowing? > Is there anything that I can do before I call a plumber? > What do I do if I see sewage in the street? > I have tree roots in my service line. Isn’t the city responsible for removing tree roots? > My service line is broken where it connects to the city’s sewer main > How can I avoid paying a municipality service fee? > The problem is on the city side.  What do I need to do to get you to fix the problem? > What is a property line cleanout? > I don’t have a property line cleanout. How can I have one installed? > I have raw sewage in my house. Who is going to clean this up? > James Vito, Inc. serves these areas in Virginia, Maryland and Washington, DC: MARYLAND - Adelphi, Ashton, Aspen Hill, Bethesda, Bladensburg, Bowie, Brookville, Burtonsville, Camp Springs, Chevy Chase, Cheverly, Chillum, Clarksburg, Clarksville, Clinton, Cloverly, Colesville, College Park, Columbia, Damascus, Darnestown, District Heights, Forestville, Fort Washington, Gaithersburg, Germantown, Glenarden, Glenmont, Greenbelt, Hillandale, Hillcrest Heights, Hyattsville, Kensington, Landover, Langley Park, Lanham, Largo, Laurel, Norbeck, North Potomac, Olney, Marlow Hieghts, Mitchellville, Montgomery Village, Poolesville, Potomac, Riverdale, Rockville, Silver Spring, Suitland, Takoma Park, Upper Marlboro, Waldorf, Wheaton WASHINGTON, DC - Dupont Circle, Farragut North, Farragut West, Federal Triangle, Foggy Bottom, Friendship Heights, Gallery Place, Georgetown, L'Enfant Plaza, McPherson Square, Mount Vernon Square, Tenleytown, Union Station, Van Ness, Woodley Park VIRGINIA - Alexandria, Annandale, Arlington, Ashburne, Burke, Chantilly, Centerville, City of Fairfax, Fairfax Station, Fairfax, Falls Church, Great Falls, Herndon, Leesburg, McLean, Reston, South Riding, Springfield, Sterling, Tysons Corner, Vienna Plumbing Services • Hot water heaters • Garbage disposals • Water filters • Well systems • Gas piping • Humidifiers • Pipes and drains • Ice makers • Backflow preventers • Pumps • Instant hots • Gas fireplace logs • Faucets and fixtures • Polybutylene pipes • Toilets The Vito Advantage • Over 75 Years In Business • 24 Hour Emergency Service • Estimates Available • One Stop Shopping For Plumbing & HVAC • Over 50 Vehicles In Service • Same Day Service • Senior Citizens Discount • Financing Available • All Major Credit Cards Accepted

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