
When Should I Replace My Sewer Line?
Before we go any further into this post, let’s make one thing clear. If you’re asking when you should replace your sewer line, we assume that you mean when should you schedule a professional sewer line replacement. Because if you’re asking us when you should grab the shovel and the toolbox to replace your own sewer line, the answer is simple—never! This is a job for experienced, licensed plumbers only, so work with our team.
Remember, your sewer line is buried on your property. That means that you cannot give it a quick visual inspection the way that you might inspect exposed pipes in your home. What you can do, however, is learn to recognize signs of trouble with your sewer line, understand some basic facts about how it works, and contact us at the first sign of trouble. You’re not going to be going through sewer lines regularly, but there’s a good chance you’ll need to replace yours at some point.
Signs of Trouble
Your sewer line is responsible for taking the waste and wastewater from your drainage system and removing it from your property. That means everything from food scraps handled by your garbage disposal to what you’re flushing down the toilet. Given that, it is probably not too surprising to hear that foul odors are a sign that your sewer line is in trouble.
Now, if you smell foul odors coming from your drains, they may just need to be cleaned. The smell of sewage is pretty unmistakable, though. If you smell it in your home or on your property, you’re not going to be able to ignore it—nor would you be tempted to.
Another sign of trouble, and one that would be paired with this odor, is spongy spots on your lawn. If your sewer line is leaking, then it may saturate your lawn. In fact, it may even make patches of your lawn thrive by fertilizing them! Those healthy patches certainly don’t mean that this is a benefit to you, though.
When to Replace
In some cases, it is going to be possible to fix a leaking sewer line. Maybe there is just a bad connection, or a single point of concern that can be dealt with.
However, in other instances, a full replacement will be necessary. Perhaps corrosion has hit the entire pipe hard. Maybe the pipe isn’t fully corroded yet, but is made of outdated materials that are at a greater risk of such problems than the durable plastics commonly used today. If that’s the case, then replacing now while everything is exposed makes more sense.
Ultimately, you want to get your sewer line replaced before disaster strikes and you’re left with a very unhygienic cleanup project on your hands—well, hopefully not literally on your hands. It’s not always possible, but alerting us to trouble when you first notice it will help.
Testimonials
What Our Customers Say About Us


Thanks for an excellent job.






If there was a 6th star, he’d be getting it!







Ralph also did a great job with installing water softener and garbage disposal. I believe Rudy also came by and helped.
Juan also did a great job with installing a new kitchen faucet and fixing a leak I had.













Thank you Preston








I appreciated the friendly and knowledgeable service provided by Perter and my new system was installed the next day. The crew that came out was very prfessional and efficient. My home was cool within few hours of the work being completed and detalied instructions were givien to me on how the system works and if I were to have any questions I could call day or night and get the answers needed.
I have recommended your company to a few homeowners I know that are in need of system service and/or repairs. You have gained a customer for as longas I live here in the San Antonio area.




Dylon the plumber came out to check my plumbing. Confirmed my water heater is old enough to be replaced and that some valves are original and are showing some corrosion.
On 7/25 Noe came to my house and confirmed that my A/C needed to be replaced. Austin was able to find a Payment Plan that I qualified for the same day. On 7/26 Christian installed my new A/C unit and a new thermostat. He showed me how to use it and left the manual. Everyone at Goettl was so helpful with this situation and got my A/C replaced and running in just two days!
On 3/9/2024 Jesse came to my house for the heater rejuvenation and to install the Sadie Smart monitor. He was very thorough in explaining how the Smart system works and where he had placed all of the sensors. I had a new filter so he replaced the old one. He also told me that my plan covers filters and I just pay for shipping; I'll remember that when I need a new filter.
On 1/11/25 Jesus came to my house for the annual heater rejuvenation and said my unit is in good shape and running well. I had bought 2 filters before the service in March 2024, one was installed then. Jesus installed the one I had on hand and reminded me that my plan covers filters. He was also thorough in going over the readings he had taken.
On 5/3/25 Michael came to my house for the annual plumbing inspection provided with my Sadie Guard Dog Protection. My water heater is about 7 years old and Michael answered my questions about replacing it. He also told me that Goettl could remove the old one and install new one if I found one more in my budget somewhere else. He even told me the estimated install cost to help with my budgeting.
Andrew came to my house 10/11/2025 for the semi-annual HVAC service under my Sadie Guard Dog Protection. He told me the unit is continuing to function well and needs no repairs.



Professional, knowledgeable and efficient. Very polite and courteous
Also installed surge protectors on the the condensers







Mike was absolutely Top Notch!! He arrived at 9:00 pm in a great mood, then took care of business and left in a great mood..Two thumbs up!!

Also, we are apart of the Smart Sadie Program and just received our yearly plumbing rejuvenation and we had the pleasure of meeting our Tech, “Frank M”. He was so knowledgeable and taught me and my Husband so many things we didn’t know which we value so much as we are new home owners and are just kind of wingin’ it! You can really tell that the Techs and the company genuinely cares about their Clients, and I will be requesting Frank M to service the Plumbing needs within my home from this point on! Frank is the man, and we loved him!(:
So now we have Christian and Daniel for our HVAC maintenance and servicing and Frank M for all our Plumbing Needs! We have an amazing team and I’m sure that other Clients feel the same way about their Techs as well!
Love this Company!


We’ve been Goettl customers for years and have always appreciated their service, but Kevin Edwards truly raised the bar. During his visit yesterday, Kevin showed outstanding attention to detail and technical expertise. He thoroughly inspected every part of our HVAC system, documenting his findings with photos and clearly explaining issues that had gone unnoticed through several previous service visits.
Kevin discovered that our HVAC system had been improperly installed when the home was built—something no other technician had identified. He explained how that flaw had created a chain of problems affecting the furnace, cooling system, and overall efficiency. Because the system uses an outdated refrigerant, repairs weren’t a viable long-term solution, and Kevin guided us toward a responsible upgrade plan.
While no homeowner wants to replace a system after only seven years, we’re grateful Kevin uncovered these hidden issues before they caused a catastrophic failure. His thoroughness, honesty, and professionalism turned a potential headache into peace of mind. Kevin is an exceptional representative of Goettl, and we recommend him without hesitation.

I want to express my complete satisfaction with the work performed by Frank Piusseaux, a technician from Goettl.
For months, several technicians tried to identify the issue with my air conditioning unit, but no one could solve it. However, from the moment Frank arrived, he showed great professionalism and dedication. He took the time to carefully investigate the cause of the problem and determined that the issue was a short circuit in the wiring between the thermostat and the unit.
Thanks to his knowledge and effort, my air conditioning system is now working perfectly.
I truly hope that Goettl recognizes the value of having such a skilled, responsible, and committed employee. Technicians like him make a real difference and deserve special recognition, even a financial incentive, for the value they bring to the company.
Thank you very much, Frank, for your excellent work!





Team Nacho and Brayan installed a 4 ton unit, very professional, very courteous, explained operation as well as answered our questions. Nacho and Brayon cleaned up as if they weren't here. We would certainly utilize their services again.







David and Cesar worked on my water heater and they were all amazing. Great prices and work with me! Will be going to them in the future


-Jesse King






I was very satisfied with the inspection and suggestions.



We also had Kevin M. come out and install our sensors and he was so efficient and explained what he was doing. He even helped me set up the app!



Great service great company. Will definitely be using for future HVAC needs.



Riley(the A/C tech ) did a complete A+++ job. Highly recommended
10/06/21
Excellent service call, Jhun walked me through each step and explained what he was checking and why.
Tony 12/12/22 another great tech. Thanks 2-25-23 New toilet install. Benjamin (tech) did a great job
6-22-23
Minor repair done fast. Tech was very nice and easy to talk to. Thanks Adrian
Sep.29 2023
Jhun Sagum
Excellent tech really knows all areas of his job. AAA+ 4-5-2024. Matt W. Did an exc
David 2025 great job all good stuff above applys.thanks Dave
ellent job ..5star work. Thanks
Corey 4,17,2025 Master of flow 6 star toilet fixer plus. Thanks
10/9/25 Daniel great service very friendly and knowledgeable. Furnace Thanks



Great communication.
Explained everything in detail.
Took before and after pictures.



















He even went as far as calling Lennox to ask about our warranty on the unit. I am very pleased with attention to detail from Jonathan.
Great guy. Great job.



I called Goettl and set up an appointment.
Mike H arrived on time and with his extreme knowledge and experience, he was able to replace the tank and give my system a much needed flush. Mike was so courteous and polite and answered all my questions and gave me advice on the how and why this happened and how to avoid this in the future.
Thank you Goettl and thank you Mike!

Adam was also very good with our situation. When there was a hang up with the loan company, not due to us or Goettl, he quickly found another to accommodate. He went above and beyond. Thx for making our home cool again.











Update: I accepted your proposal and wow, three days later my house has heat and air. Installation time was a little over five hours with breaks, and all the time your crew worked efficiently and professionally. Nothing left undone. A big THANK YOU for you guys.
Update2: Goetti set up the building permit appointment with the county, and attended the inspection, which past with no issues. Other companies that I have dealt with have not done so much. Furthermore, I did get multiple estimates, and all the other companies had convenient add-on's which proved by the inspection were a unnecessary expense, thus making Geotti price the lowest and most honest of them all. By the way, the heater and a/c have work to perfection and are both very quiet


This past week our service technician was Andrew Morgan and he is such a friendly, knowledgeable, and skilled technician. He spent time making sure the job was done correctly and he explained it in terms that I could understand. Not only is our unit functioning even better than before, I also gained knowledge of how the system works.














I highly recommend Goettl as this is the second time l've used them in less than a year. (2 seperate issues)... and I highly recommend them..anytime and anyday.
They have exceeded to top any expectations I could have ever had with any company.


Jerry also noticed our water pressure was low after flushing toilet then trying to wash hands in bathroom sink which were so he suggested a new pressure regulator as we have had a new better water conditioning system installed. We now have the best water pressure even when using a shower and kitchen sink faucet at the same time. Also Jerry is a master plumber and we appreciate his knowledge and experience. Will definitely call Goettl again when a plumber is needed.
Ralph & Kathy Lesmeister



Darean Guerra today. He arrived on time and took the time to explain what he was going to do. He was very knowledgeable which helped me trust what he was doing. He left his work area clean. I am very pleased with his work.




Now we have a new flange, installed correctly, and ready for the new toilet!








The company is installing a tankless heater and the customer service is outstanding.
I recommend Geottl to all!

I definitely recommend Goettl for all your needs.

Nick was helpful, friendly and professional in scheduling the appointment around my commitments.
I have used Goettl for nearly 20 years for my plumbing and HVAC needs. I recommend them as reliable, professional and easy to work with.



They made sure my carpet was covered and when they were all through they cleaned up perfectly
I would recommend your company to anyone looking to put in a new air conditioner.
Thank you so much for all you did for me.
Sincerely, June Jones

And I would highly recommend the company and the quality technicians like Jarod.
Jarod is the go to if you want excellent
Customer service and communication for any AC related issues. He is very knowledgeable, personable and trustworthy. I am grateful and satisfied.







They listened to my issue, were very through, checked for leaks, etc. I’ve lived in Lakeway for 30 years, used MANY local plumbers - but Goettl will definitely get all my business moving forward. HIGHLY recommend!
Ty, Wil & Adrian!

Everyone from the Goettl sales representative Christian, Tech / Advisor Josias recommended a HVAC A/C and Heating system replacement. Technicians team Veronica and her partner.


Jeremy Canchola serviced our mini-split today with the usual Goettl efficiency and professionalism.
Highly recommended!


Hopefully, we will get Jack for our next service call.







Robert, Tyler, Adrian & Luis, Thank you all so much.
