When a sewer line fails due to a break, degradation, or another problem, a full sewer line installation replacement becomes necessary. But if you've never experienced this procedure, you might be wondering what you can expect. Here's a look at three of the factors that will be going on while your old sewer line is being removed and the new one put in place.

Biohazard

While you should plan on avoiding the construction site in general, you'll want to especially keep your distance if there has been leakage in your yard from the old sewer line. Your plumber can tell you whether this is a problem, although with severe leakage you may already know yourself if it's a problem, as it tends to produce a foul stench in the yard.

Since the ground is likely saturated with waste water, you should let the pros do their work and keep your distance. The bacteria present in waste water is particularly dangerous and should be avoided at all costs unless you have proper protective equipment.

Open Trench

While some sewer line repairs and maintenance can be performed without digging up the yard, this is usually not true of sewer line replacement. You should expect a trench to be present in your yard while the old sewer line is being removed and the new one is being put in place.

If your plumber informs you that it's going to take longer than one work day to get everything done, you should ensure that your pets and children don't go outside during this time. An open trench could allow them to fall in and get injured, which you should avoid at all costs.

No Facilities

Finally, you should expect that you won't be able to use your indoor plumbing for anything while this procedure is going on. While you may still be able to use water, you can't allow any to go down the drain and won't be able to use your shower or toilet, either. The waste that goes down any drain in your house will end up just pouring into the yard while the sewer line isn't in place. This not only creates a mess that will make it harder for your plumber to get the job done, but if you flush the toilet, it can expose them to dangerous substances. Your plumber will likely inform you to not use any of your facilities on the day or days of, so plan on going to a neighbor's house or getting a portable toilet to put in your yard in the interim.