Modern sewage systems have provided an increase in health, safety and sanitation standards for developed nations. Sewer drains carry waste, water, and anything else poured down them to a greater municipal system or a septic tank from your sinks, toilets, and shower. For many homeowners, discovering a clog in their sewer line can be a troublesome and expensive problem. There are a few reasons clogs form, and determining how to prevent clogs, rather than repair them may save you money in the long run. If you already have an existing clog, there are over the counter drain cleaning agents available, or you may want to contact a professional plumbing service with a sewer inspection camera at their disposal.
Broken Pipes
One of the most problematic clogs in a sewer line comes from broken or leaking pipes which can misdirect the sewage in to the ground around your home, rather than in to the main system. The usual cause of these pipe ruptures include tree roots, ground movement, construction or increased ground movement above them, which disturbs the pipe’s foundation. Broken pipes may also allow silt or soil in to the sewer line, which can clog pipes due to collecting sediment. The best way to check for broken pipes should you suspect one, is to call a professional plumbing service which can use a sewer inspection camera to ensure all of your pipes are in working condition.
Debris and Garbage
There are many items which are not meant to be flushed down in to a sewer system. This includes corrosive chemicals, large objects, or certain paper products not meant to enter the sewer line. Even toilet paper, which is designed to break up, and prevent sewer clogs, may catch on a lip, edge, or tree root which has impaled the pipe wall. This paper collects, and may form a more serious clog. It’s important to not only eliminate clogs before they become serious, but also to include regular maintenance from a plumbing service to make sure your sewer system is running efficiently.
Shower Drains
The main cause of shower or tub clogs is often hair and soap scum. Anyone with longer locks understands that the entrance to the drain becomes clogged regularly as hair is shed while bathing. Soap and sudsing agents only aggravate the problem by binding to the shed hair, and creating a slimy, sloppy mess which is guaranteed to cause a backup in your plumbing system. Homeowners can be proactive ins topping clogs by using a drain catcher, which is designed for tubs and showers. This device is a mesh cap which allows water through, while catching the hair to prevent it from being washed down the drain. If a clog has already occurred, there are tools called drain augers or more commonly “snakes,” that homeowners can buy in the plumbing section. These snakes slide in to the drain, and latch on to whatever is trapped within the pipes so that it may be fished out. If drain cleaning chemicals and snaking doesn’t seem to be working, contact a professional plumbing service who can use a sewer inspection camera to determine the cause as well as provide a solution to your plumbing problems.
With their state-of-the-art sewer inspection camera the sewer repair experts at Mister Sewer are able to determine the cause of any clogged sewer line before the digging begins, saving you time, money and quite possible your lawn. Call Mister Sewer today for honest repair or replacement options for your sewer line!