Seattle's Sewer Lining Specialists · Since 2005
Sewer Repair in West Seattle, WA | Seattle Select Sewers
West Seattle sits on its own peninsula across the Duwamish from downtown, and its sewers have their own habits. Many West Seattle homes went up in the early to mid-1900s, and plenty still drain through the original side sewer. A side sewer is the private pipe that runs from your house to the public main, usually under the yard and the street. In Seattle, that whole run belongs to the homeowner.
We are Seattle Select Sewers, a sewer-only company in King County that has worked on Seattle side sewers since 2005. If your West Seattle drains are slow, gurgling or backing up, we start with a camera so you can see what is going on before anyone talks about repairs.
What We See in West Seattle
The peninsula is hilly. From Admiral down to Alki, and from Fauntleroy across to Delridge, a lot of houses sit on view slopes or steep streets. That shapes the problems we find.
- Long, steep side sewer runs. Homes set above or below the street often have longer pipes with more joints. Each joint is a place for roots or separation.
- Older clay pipe. Vitrified clay was common in side sewers of this era. It lasts, but its joints let roots in, and sections crack as soil shifts on a slope.
- Big, established trees. Mature maples, firs and cedars line many blocks around Morgan Junction, Arbor Heights and the green belts. Their roots follow moisture straight into old joints.
- Wet season pressure. From fall into spring, steady rain soaks the clay-rich soil. Saturated ground stresses weak joints, and parts of older Seattle are on combined sewers that carry both stormwater and wastewater, so heavy rain can push backups in some areas.
Because Seattle homeowners own the side sewer all the way to the main, a West Seattle repair can involve the section under the street. Side sewer work in Seattle generally needs a permit from Seattle Public Utilities. We tell you in the written estimate whether your job needs a permit.
Sewer Services for West Seattle Homes
- Trenchless sewer repair using CIPP lining. CIPP means cure-in-place pipe: a resin-soaked liner is set inside the old pipe and hardened, forming a new pipe within it. On a steep lot, that can mean no trench down the hill.
- Sewer pipe patches for a single cracked or root-damaged section.
- Root removal and hydro jetting to clear the line before a camera look or a lining job.
- Cleanout installation. A cleanout is a capped access pipe that lets us reach the sewer without going through the house.
- Camera inspections and locating, including pre-sale sewer scopes for buyers and agents.
- Septic-to-sewer conversion where a property still needs it.
Most West Seattle repairs wrap up in a single day. Larger lining jobs can take a couple of days. Full replacement is rarely the answer, and a lined sewer can give you 40 or more years of service life.
How a West Seattle Job Works
- Call or submit a request. Tell us what the drains are doing.
- Camera inspection. We run a camera down the side sewer and show you the footage, joint by joint.
- Written estimate. You get your options in writing, explained plainly, before any work.
- Complete repairs. We fix what the camera showed and nothing extra.
Why Homeowners Choose Us
Why West Seattle Homeowners Call Us
Licensed and bonded, WA L&I License #SEATTSS874JJ, with full liability coverage on every job
Sewer-only specialists since 2005. We do not do general plumbing
20-year warranty on completed repairs
Trusted by Seattle-area realtors and home inspectors for pre-sale sewer scopes
Proudly Serving the Puget Sound
Nearby Areas We Serve
Just south of the peninsula we work in White Center and Burien. Across the bridge, see our main Seattle page.
Areas We Serve
Mountlake
Renton
Kent
Magnolia
Kenmore
Lynnwood
Ballard
Freemont
SeaTac
Tukwila
FAQ
West Seattle Sewer Repair FAQs
Who is responsible for the sewer line under my West Seattle street?
You are. In Seattle, the property owner owns and maintains the side sewer from the house to the connection at the public main, including the part under the street.
Do I need a permit to repair my side sewer in West Seattle?
Side sewer work in Seattle generally needs a permit from Seattle Public Utilities. We will tell you what your job needs when we give you the written estimate.
Can you line a sewer that runs down a steep slope?
Often, yes. Lining works from inside the existing pipe, so the slope of the yard matters less than the condition of the pipe. The camera tells us whether the line is a good candidate.
Why does my basement drain back up when it rains hard?
It can be roots, a cracked joint letting groundwater in, or pressure from a combined sewer during a storm. A camera inspection sorts out which one it is. Our sewer backup guide covers what to do first.
Should I get a sewer scope before buying in West Seattle?
With so many older side sewers on the peninsula, a scope is a smart step. It shows the pipe material, roots and any breaks before you commit.
Testimonials
What Our Customers Say
Call 425-531-4847 for sewer repair in West Seattle, WA.
Free estimates, written before any work begins.