Question: Hey there, Robert. I’ve written in before and received great advice from you, I’m hoping you’ll have insight into my current dilemma. We’re in an older neighborhood in Valencia and in my front yard along the walkway to the front door, there is a very wet area of the lawn, which also has a slightly foul odor.
I shut the sprinkler system down and even with this heat and nearly a week later, nothing has changed in this area. What could this be and where do I begin? Do I need to call a professional? Thanks in advance for your help.
— Jordan S.
Answer: Jordan, I’d begin troubleshooting this on your own. It’ll save you some money, most likely. Time to dig. Begin by hand digging in the immediate area, setting aside the grass/mud.
Eventually you’ll expose what I suspect is going to be your main sewer line. You may or may not see the active leak; if you do, it would be time to call a licensed and insured plumber, if you are not versed in this repair. If you find the pipe but don’t see an active leak, follow the pipe until you do. And expose the area enough for a plumber to make the repair. If you can do this on your own more power to you, you’ll save some money. Best of luck.
Robert Lamoureux has more than 40 years of experience as a general contractor, with separate licenses in electrical and plumbing contracting. He owns IMS Construction Inc. in Valencia. His opinions are his own, not necessarily those of The Signal. Opinions expressed in this column are not meant to replace the recommendations of a qualified contractor after that contractor has made a thorough visual inspection. Email questions to Robert at [email protected].
