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Why You Want to Turn on Your A/C Before You Need It

When you flush your toilet or drain your sink, that water has to get from your home to the city sewer lines. It does that by draining down your pipes and traveling down your home’s main sewer line. All the water in your home leaves through the same mainline. If that pipe fails, the water has nowhere to go except back into your home.

That means it’s important for your sewer main line to be able to hold up under pressure. One of the biggest factors in whether it will last is the pipe's material. Home builders have used several different materials for sewer mainline over the years. Each one has benefits, and each one has its weaknesses. This post is going to go over 4 common mainline material types and what each one means for your home.

Cast Iron

A common material from before and after World War II, cast iron can be strong and resilient. It depends on how well it was cast into shape, the quality of the iron, and its installation. When a crew did everything right, cast iron sewer mainlines from the 1960s have lasted for 60 years or more.

Cast iron does have its flaws. If the casting or installation was bad or the pipes used low-grade iron, they can crack or form bellies. They also have a unique weakness to static electricity. Static can build up from the constant flow of water, causing the cast iron to rust sooner than it should.

Clay

Vitrified clay comes from heating clay to change it into a glass-like structure. It was common in homes until the mid-1960s when builders started phasing it out. Heavy and durable, clay is also inert. That means it doesn’t react as much to chemicals in the soil as other materials might. It also means they resist the acidic nature of the sewer wastewater flowing through them.

Clay pipes are heavy, making it difficult to use pipes of any significant size. That means they had frequent joints along a sewer mainline. On top of that, those joints were often designed to be “dirt tight” instead of watertight. That meant larger gaps between pipes and more room for roots to worm into the joints. But as long as roots don’t penetrate the pipe, clay can be an effective option.

Orangeburg

Also known as fiber conduit pipe, sheets of woven wood fibers make up Orangeburg. Manufacturers rolled the fibers up and sealed them with water-resistant adhesives and tar. It’s lightweight and easy to cut with standard wood saws. It was common during World War II because the war effort claimed other materials.

Orangeburg has a hard time withstanding the strain required long-term. The layers often separate, letting water leak out and roots work their way into the pipe. Many Orangeburg sewer mainlines collapse, requiring total replacement. A well-installed Orangeburg pipe with the right support can last longer. But any Orangeburg pipe risks large-scale failure.

Plastic

Modern homes almost exclusively use plastic pipes for sewer mainline pipes. They’re non-corrosive, non-reactive, lightweight, and strong. They can have a much tighter fit than other materials. As long as the plumbers install it well, a plastic sewer line should last 100 years without any attention.

The installation is key for a plastic pipe. If the ground isn’t prepared right or the pipes aren’t sealed well enough, a plastic line can form a belly or crack. That can either allow water and waste to collect in one location until it backs up, or let roots invade the pipe. But a well-installed plastic pipe should never have any of these issues.

If you have an issue with your sewer main line, Any Hour Services would be happy to help. Our certified drain technicians can use a camera to see what's going on and work with you to find the best solution. You can give us a call or schedule an appointment online.
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Logo for Any Hour Electric, Plumbing, Heating & Air featuring a smiling technician with crossed arms, a stopwatch, and a bold, professional tone.

Any Hour Services

1374 West 130 South, Orem, UT 84058

© Copyright 2024 Any Hour Services LLC
© 2024 Any Hour Services LLC

Pricing FAQ

A:

Our pricing is fair and transparent. We use a fixed-price guide that reflects the time, materials, and real costs of running a dependable home services business. No hourly rates. No inflated prices based on where you live. We focus on what it takes to get the job done—not on how much we can charge.

Before we price your drains or excavation project, our expert technician will perform an in-home assessment to evaluate the tasks required. We only charge for what’s necessary—no fluff, no extra costs. This allows us to pinpoint areas where we can save you money without sacrificing quality.

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A:

A: We price the job—not the clock. Hourly rates can be unpredictable, leaving you unsure of the final cost until the job is done. We believe in upfront, fixed pricing based on the work itself—not guesswork. You won’t pay for delays or mistakes, and we hold ourselves accountable to ensure there are no surprises.

Call Now

A:

We prefer to price based on the job and not what other companies charge. Hourly rates can lead to unexpected costs for homeowners, making the final price unpredictable. By pricing the work itself, we make sure you’re only paying for what’s actually needed—keeping things fair and efficient.

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Requesting a quote is simple. Contact Any Hour Services, and we will assess your needs, providing a transparent estimate for the repairs.

We also provide FREE estimates and second opinions for major plumbing and excavation projects like repiping, sewer or water line replacements, remodels, and outdoor drain installs. Our team will evaluate the job in person, explain your options, and give you clear, upfront pricing. No hourly rates. No surprises. Just honest answers and expert service.

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Yes, you can request a quote online—our team at Any Hour Services responds promptly to every inquiry.

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We offer a $29 Drain Clear for single, easy-access drains. A licensed plumber will inspect the issue, clear out buildup like grease or debris, and get things flowing again. It’s a simple, affordable way to fix slow drains and help protect your plumbing from bigger problems down the line.

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Yes, we provide FREE estimates for sewer main line replacements. If you are looking to replace your sewer main line, one of our expert technicians will come to your home and inspect your sewer main line, before showing you your options. Call us if you have questions about replacing your sewer main line—we’re here to help!

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You can pay for your service with cash, check, or any major credit card. We collect, in full, upon completion of the project. If you would like to make monthly payments, we have many financing options available through 3rd party finance companies (On Approved Credit). Your technician can talk to you about your options when they give you pricing options for the work you want done.

Call Now

A:

Our phone staff are not expert technicians, so they can’t quote prices that would be accurate to your project’s needs. A trained technician needs to see the job firsthand to give you a clear, upfront price. Quotes over the phone are a guess, and we prefer transparency over uncertainty.

Call Now

A:

Ballpark prices can be misleading. Until we see the job, we can’t quote your final estimate accurately. Other companies may give an estimate range, but that often leads to additional costs and surprises later. Instead, we focus on giving you a fair price once a trained technician can assess the job properly.

Call Now

A:

A: We have a small dispatch fee to send our technician to your home. They’ll arrive in a truck stocked with thousands of parts, ready to complete most jobs the same day. After a thorough evaluation, your technician will explain the issue, walk you through the recommended fix, and show you your options and final price. No hourly rates. No surprises. Just a clear, upfront price before any work begins.

Call Now

Pricing FAQ

A:

Our pricing is fair and transparent. We use a fixed-price guide that reflects the time, materials, and real costs of running a dependable home services business. No hourly rates. No inflated prices based on where you live. We focus on what it takes to get the job done—not on how much we can charge.

Before we price your plumbing job, our licensed plumber will perform an in-home assessment to evaluate the tasks required. We only charge for what’s necessary—no fluff, no extra costs. This allows us to pinpoint areas where we can save you money without sacrificing quality.

Call Now

A:

We price the job—not the clock. Hourly rates can be unpredictable, leaving you unsure of the final cost until the job is done. We believe in upfront, fixed pricing based on the work itself—not guesswork. You won’t pay for delays or mistakes, and we hold ourselves accountable to ensure there are no surprises.

Call Now

A:

We prefer to price based on the job and not what other companies charge. Hourly rates can lead to unexpected costs for homeowners, making the final price unpredictable. By pricing the work itself, we make sure you’re only paying for what’s actually needed—keeping things fair and efficient.

Call Now

A:

Water heater replacements vary. Often, older units require updates to meet safety standards. Common items missing from many water heaters are flexible gas lines, expansion tanks, earthquake straps, gas sediment trap, upgrade exhaust venting, etc.

For an accurate quote, one of our licensed plumbers will inspect your existing system and provide a FREE estimate.

Call Now

A:

Our phone staff are not licensed plumbers, so they can’t quote prices that would be accurate to your project’s needs. A trained plumber needs to see the job firsthand to give you a clear, upfront price. Quotes over the phone are a guess, and we prefer transparency over uncertainty.

Call Now

A:

Ballpark prices can be misleading. Until we see the job, we can’t quote your final estimate accurately. Other companies may give an estimate range, but that often leads to additional costs and surprises later. Instead, we focus on giving you a fair price once a licensed plumber can assess the job properly.

Call Now

A:

We have a small dispatch fee to send our plumber to your home. They’ll arrive in a truck stocked with thousands of parts, ready to complete most jobs the same day. After a thorough evaluation, your plumber will explain the issue, walk you through the recommended fix, and show you your options and final price. No hourly rates. No surprises. Just a clear, upfront price before any work begins.

Call Now

A:

Yes! We offer FREE in-home estimates for major projects like water heater installations, water softeners, and repiping—without any dispatch fee. Our licensed plumber will assess the job, explain your options, and provide a clear, fixed price. No surprises or hourly rates—just honest, reliable service. Schedule your FREE estimate today!

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No, our plumbers don’t quote a price until they have seen your plumbing project. Once they quote a price, it doesn’t change, no matter how long it takes. At any time, if you want to add more tasks to your plumbing project, your plumber will let you know how much it would cost to perform the extra work.

Call Now

A:

You can pay for your plumbing service with cash, check, or any major credit card. We collect, in full, upon completion of the project. If you would like to make monthly payments, we do have many financing options available through 3rd party finance companies, OAC. Your plumber can talk to you about your options when they give you pricing options for the work you want completed.

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