How to Fix a Clogged Sewer Line
Your main sewer line is the pipe that carries wastewater from your home away from the ground. Main drains and sewer lines are found in the walls of your house and outside underground. Each drain pipe is connected to a different household fixture. If your sewer line is clogged, it will cause a smell and be a nuisance to you.
Repairing a clogged main sewer line
If you suspect your main sewer line is clogged, you can attempt to repair it yourself, but you’ll probably end up worsening the problem. If you’re not sure what to do, call a professional plumber who specializes in the main sewer line repair. A plumber can inspect the line and clean it so it’s functioning properly. A plumber can also diagnose the cause of the clog.
Although a main sewer line clog is not a do-it-yourself project, you can take steps to prevent future clogs. Using a wire hanger to pull out the clog is a good start, but you should avoid pushing gunk further into the line. After you’ve cleaned out the line, use hot water to flush out the clog.
One of the easiest ways to determine if your main sewer line is clogged is by checking your toilet and sink drains. Toilet waste will back up if the main sewer line is clogged. You can also check for other plumbing problems, such as backing up drains, which can be costly to fix. If these issues aren’t immediate, you can call a plumber to solve the problem.
In some cases, tree roots cause clogs in your sewer line. Tree roots are small, but they can grow inside your sewer pipe and block it. Over time, these roots form a mass that makes it difficult for sewage to pass through. Therefore, removing tree roots from your sewer line will prevent further clogs. Then, you can get back to regular use of your sewer line.
Another method to unclog the main sewer line is to pour baking soda or vinegar down it. Baking soda has a mild alkalinity, which allows it to dissolve grease and other particles. Vinegar helps deodorize and neutralize acidic odor molecules. When used regularly, this solution can dissolve the clog and make it easy to flush it. Then, you should pour hot water to clean the area.
Identifying a clogged main sewer line
A clogged main sewer line can be a huge headache. If you don’t know what to look for, you could end up with a major repair job and contaminated water for your family. Here are a few signs that your main sewer line is clogged. Having a plumber diagnose the issue is the best way to avoid more expensive repairs. Also, don’t forget to have your pipes inspected annually to keep them in good condition.
If you notice that the main sewer line is clogged, call a Houston plumber right away. You may be able to fix the problem yourself, but you can also prevent the blockage in the future. Taking preventative measures is essential if you don’t want to pay for costly repairs down the line. A sagging line can lead to a clog. When the sewer line is clogged, it can make water back up and damage your home.
The main sewer line can be damaged by corrosion, tree roots growing inside the pipe, or even by improper installation. Damage can occur due to faulty installation, shifting ground, or corrosion. Depending on the cause of the blockage, you may need to have the line replaced or repaired. In either case, call a plumber right away to fix the issue and prevent more costly repairs in the future. So, what are some signs that your main sewer line is clogged?
The main sewer line will also smell foul. If this odor is present, it is likely that sewage water is backing up. Backing up sewage water can damage your home, yard, and landscaping, and cause an unpleasant odor. A plumber should be able to fix a clogged main sewer line and clear up the problem quickly. It will also be a very simple repair job for a professional plumber.
A plumber has many tools for cleaning a clogged main sewer line. A drain snake or auger, often power-assisted, is fed into the main sewer line in sections to break up the clog. The plumber may also use a high-pressure water jet to blow the debris down the line. Plumbing pros use these tools to clear up a clog as quickly and efficiently as possible.
Common causes of clogs in the main sewer line
There are a number of common causes of clogs in a home’s main sewer line and addressing these problems early will prevent a serious occurrence. If you’re wondering what you can flush down the toilet, there are a number of common items you shouldn’t. Toilet paper, soap scum, and even foreign objects can clog your line. Another common cause of clogs is grease. This is particularly problematic as hot water will not swill it away but rather line the pipe and solidify it.
Clogged sewer main lines can be expensive to repair and repairing them will reduce the value of your home. This is why you should prevent main sewer line clogs by following these tips. However, if you cannot fix a clog on your own, you can call a plumbing service for professional help. In any case, it’s best to hire a licensed plumber for a thorough cleaning.
Undersized main sewer pipes are another common cause of clogs. These pipes were not designed to carry the entire load of the house, so the system is unable to properly drain the water. The pipe’s design features several branching pipes, so if you have several secondary drains in your home, you’re likely to experience backflow. Because of the clog, the water and air from these drains can’t properly drain, causing awful smells and drain back-ups.
Tree roots can clog a sewer line. Tree roots are surprisingly strong. They can worm their way into a broken section of the pipe and eventually fill the entire width of the pipe. While the clog itself is relatively easy to repair, the damage a clogged sewer line can do to a home’s landscaping and yard can be extensive. Fortunately, a professional plumber can fix a clogged main sewer line quickly and efficiently.
A slow drain is another common cause of a clogged main sewer line. Most of these clogs aren’t completely blocking the pipe. Instead, they simply slow down the flow of water. In many cases, clogs don’t block a sewer line entirely; they simply slow down the drainage of waste. The resulting slowness can be seen in the toilet drain as well as the other drains throughout a home.
Getting rid of a clog in the main sewer line
If you’ve had to deal with a clog in your main sewer line, you might want to try using baking soda to clear it out. This substance reacts with white vinegar to break up the clog. After about 15 minutes, you can flush the main sewer line with hot water to verify that it’s cleared. A clog in your main sewer line could mean that your home isn’t draining properly.
If you’re a do-it-yourselfer, you can attempt to clear a clog in the main sewage line by yourself. You’ll need a high-quality plumbing snake or auger and a strong hand. A professional plumber may have the special equipment and know-how needed to clear a mainline clog. But if you don’t feel confident in handling such complicated plumbing work, you can call a professional company for assistance.
Once you have located the clog, you’ll need to feed a plumbing snake or auger into the clean-out fitting. If this doesn’t work, you may need to use a plunger or other tool to break up the clog. Depending on the size of the clog, you might need to feed the auger tip through a small hole in the main sewer line.
When a clog has formed in the main sewer line, it’s possible to see a slow drain, usually the toilet. It may take a while for the water to drain, but it will eventually start to sink. Once the water has slowed down, a plumber will need to use a sewer camera to confirm the clog. To clear a clog, a plumber will need to clear out the root of the problem.
If the clog in the main sewer line is causing the water to back up in your home, you’ll need to clear the clog from the source. Your home’s drain lines all run into one main sewer line. If these drain pipes become clogged, it will affect all the plumbing fixtures in the house. If you run your kitchen sink, it can cause your shower to be clogged. If you have toilets on the top or bottom floors, they will still function.