Drain Cleaning in Lucerne, CO

Lucerne homes and their sewer lines

Lucerne-area homes include older farmhouses and small houses near the town site, mid-century ranch homes and newer houses on acreages along the county roads.

Many homes get water from the North Weld County Water District and treat wastewater with private septic systems.

Older houses often have basements with floor drains, and their lines to the tank may be clay or cast iron.

Lucerne drain problems

Lucerne drain calls mostly involve septic lines, roots and seasonal groundwater. Mature cottonwoods and elms find old clay joints, irrigation on the surrounding fields raises the water table every summer, and basement floor drains in older homes are the first place a blocked line shows up.

What drain work usually costs in Lucerne

Alfalfa country on US 85

Lucerne sits on US 85 between Greeley and Eaton, at about 4,750 feet in the irrigated farmland of central Weld County. Its post office has operated since 1892, and its name comes from lucerne, the old word for alfalfa, which grew around the original town site. The North Weld County Water District, one of the large rural water providers in northern Colorado, has its office on County Road 39 here, and its lines supply many homes and farms around Lucerne.

Water from the district, wastewater on site

Having district water does not mean having a sewer. Most homes around Lucerne treat their wastewater with a private septic system on their own lot, so the line from the house to the tank, the tank and the field are all the owner's to maintain. If you are not sure where your tank is, look for a lid or riser in the yard, check old county records or ask a plumber to locate the line with a transmitter.

Older homes near the town site

Homes near the original town site and along US 85 include farmhouses and small houses from the early and middle 1900s, many with basements. Their drain lines are often clay or cast iron, and some have been patched with plastic. Clay joints let roots in, and cast iron scales and rusts inside. When an older Lucerne home clogs repeatedly, a camera inspection shows whether the cause is roots, scale, a broken section or a sag.

Cottonwoods and elms

Big cottonwoods and elms shade many Lucerne yards and line the ditches and farmsteads nearby. Their roots spread far and find any leaking joint, especially in a dry summer. A thin mat of roots in a line catches paper and grease until the line closes. Cutting clears it, but roots return. If a camera shows roots at only one or two joints, replacing those short sections often ends the problem.

Summer groundwater

Irrigation of the fields around Lucerne raises the water table every summer. A septic field surrounded by saturated soil drains slowly, and drains in the house slow down with it. Groundwater can also seep into cracked lines and add to the flow the tank has to handle. If your drains slow every summer and recover in the fall, mention it when you call.

When a Lucerne drain backs up

1. 01

   Stop using water

   Pause the washer and showers until the line is open.

2. 02

   Check the basement floor drain

   Water rising there means the main line is blocked.

3. 03

   Find the cleanout

   Look in the basement, near the foundation or between the house and the tank.

4. 04

   Mention the season

   Summer slowdowns may point to groundwater rather than a clog.

Lucerne warning signs

• Laundry water showing up at a Lucerne floor drain
• Roots on the cable after clearing
• Drains slowing every summer
• Gurgling toilets when other fixtures drain
• Odor near the tank in hot weather

Finding your tank in Lucerne

Many Lucerne homeowners have never seen their septic tank. If it was buried without a riser, the lid may be a foot or more below the lawn, and a plumber or pumper has to find it before any work can begin. Old county permit records sometimes show the location. A plumber can also run a transmitter through the line from the house and trace it to the tank. Once you know where it is, adding a riser to bring the lid to the surface saves time on every future visit.

Newer homes on acreages

Homes built since the 2000s on acreages around Lucerne usually have plastic lines that resist roots and corrosion. Their common problems are different: backfill that settles over the years and leaves a sag, wipes and grease from busy households, and long lines to the tank. A camera inspection five or ten years after building can catch a sag before it causes a backup.

Cleaning up after a basement backup

If sewage comes up through a basement floor drain in a Lucerne home, stop all water use and keep children and pets out of the area. Wear gloves and boots, take photos for insurance, and remove wet carpet and padding within a day or two. Disinfect hard surfaces once the line is cleared. Ask the plumber where the blockage was so you can tell whether it was in the house line, at the tank or in the field. Keep a record of each visit; a pattern over a few years tells you whether the line, the tank or the field needs attention next.

What changes the price in Lucerne

A fixture clog is routine. Roots, old pipe, basement cleanup and long lines to the tank add time. Lucerne is close to Greeley and Eaton, so travel is modest. Tell the plumber what kind of pipe you think the house has, and ask what a Lucerne visit is likely to cost.