How to Properly Clean Your Sewer Lines

Are you experiencing a clogged pipe? It might be the time that you don't underestimate this.

Your drain lines carry all of your wastewater to your main sewer line. A clogged pipe can indicate a bigger issue, such as main sewer line clogs.

Cleaning sewer lines can involve either basic household items or professional plumbing expertise, depending on the problem's seriousness.

Don't wait for water backup to happen and contaminate your home's clean water with sewage and bacteria. Know about sewer line cleaning and whether or not it's time to repair your sewer line.

Tips & Tricks to Clean Your Clogged Sewer Lines

Remove pesky clogs to maintain clear drainage systems using these hacks and techniques:

1) Baking Soda and Vinegar

Baking soda or sodium bicarbonate is a household item used as a cleaning agent.

When mixed with vinegar, it creates a chemical reaction that can remove clogs caused by grease and debris.

Use a 2-is-to-1 ratio of vinegar to baking soda and mix it into 60 gallons of water.

If you run a continuous stream of this mixture down your drains, you can add water pressure into the equation to draw out stubborn debris.

2) Hot Water

Another quick fix you can do is water heating. Before you get skeptical about this, let us explain its science.

When combined with cold water, hot water has higher kinetic energy and extra space between molecules.

It cannot bond with insoluble dirt, which is why it can dissolve more material than cold water.

3) Get an Enzyme Cleaner for Your Drains

If these household items can't handle unclogging your drains, go to nearby hardware stores and get enzyme cleaners.

They come with easy-to-follow instructions for you. But we suggest using them in your basement or any large drain for better efficiency.

This drain cleaner works using a biological reaction, which makes them safe. However, you'll have to wait 8 to 24 hours before seeing the results.

4) Secure a Drain Snake

While at the hardware store, you might as well look for a drain snake or a plumbing auger.

Drain snakes are long, flexible rods used to unclog sanitary sewer lines. One side is a hand crank, while the other is a corkscrew. The corkscrew breaks down the clog in your home's drains.

If you're faced with small clogs, a drain snake might be the best for the job. Ensure you know where your sewer line is before using a drain snake.

5) Use a Chemical Cleaner

If your sewer line is still clogged, it's time to use chemical cleaners.

This chemical substance contains harsh chemicals that can corrode your pipes and drain lines over time. As such, use these drain cleaners with caution and not as often.

Like enzyme cleaners, these chemicals must sit in your pipes for a while. Since this cleaner uses a chemical reaction to dissolve build-up, you won't have to wait as long as you would with enzymes.

6) Contact a Professional

The safest drain cleaning method is to leave the clog to the expert. In this case, a professional plumber.

The clog you're faced with may not be a regular one. It may indicate problems in your plumbing system and main sewer lines.

The best person to diagnose and treat this is a professional plumber.

The professional plumber you hire can locate the exact location of your clog and target its resolution. They can use highly pressurized water and other specialized equipment for this. Doing this will save you trouble and time.

Why Are Your Sewer Pipes Clogged?

Have you ever wondered why you have a clogged drain? Sometimes it's an indicator of a bigger problem: clogged main sewer lines.

This has many causes ranging from the aging of your main sewer line to your day-to-day use of your plumbing system.

Tree Roots

Root infiltration is one common cause of a main sewer line break in older homes. This happens when overgrown tree roots wreak havoc on your pipes and cause your main sewer line to break.

Here's how it happens: All your wastewater runs through your main sewer line, which can be found under your yard. This moisture is good for plant growth, causing tree roots to grow towards it.

It's important to check whether tree roots are causing damage to your sewer line.

Damaged Pipes

Other common causes of a main-line break in older homes are broken, sagging, and collapsed pipes. This is usually the issue if you use a septic system instead of a municipal sewer system in your home.

Damage to your pipes can happen either because of aging or heavy construction equipment over your plumbing system.

Blockages

Aside from damaged pipes, your main sewer line clogs may be due to blockages. The cause for this is poor garbage disposal, which can either be from solid waste or liquid waste.

It's a big no-no to flush solids down your toilet, such as sanitary pads and toilet paper. However, you can dissolve toilet paper in your sewer line if needed.

On the other hand, you shouldn't pour food, grease, and oil as they thicken and cause a buildup of other debris within your drain.

If you think your sewer line is full of grease, you'll need to dissolve it.

What Are the Signs That You Have a Clogged Sewer Line?

What you might think are minor clogs can indicate a main sewer line clog and other more serious plumbing issues. These are the signs and symptoms you should look out for to call a plumber for a sewer line repair:

• Slow Drains - If it takes a while to drain water into your sinks, you might have a clog.
• Foul Smell - A foul odor from your sink or drains can suggest that wastewater is seeping back up because of a clog.
• Gurgling Sound - Toilets have a direct line to your sewer pipe. If it makes unusual sounds when you flush it, it can mean that your main sewer line has a problem.

What Are the Benefits of Drain Cleaning Your Main Sewer Line?

You don't see what's inside your sewer lines and drain pipes but keeping them clean gives you obvious reasons why you should do it more often.

With regular sewer line repairs, you will experience these benefits regularly!

Improved Drainage

Cleaning your sewer lines can prevent clogs caused by debris, food, and waste. It clears out existing blockages in your sewer lines, giving you peace of mind.

With regular sewer line cleaning, you won't have to worry about your sink or toilet filling up with dirty water. You'll only enjoy having fast and highly functional drains.

Better Hygiene

No one wants to be anywhere close to sewage and bacteria. Sewer line cleaning makes sure that you're at a safe distance away from these nasty things in your sewer lines. On top of that, sewer cleaning also helps you avoid living in a house filled with a strong foul odor.

Savings

Don't wait for holes and leaks to spread through your sewer lines. Cleaning your sewer lines can prevent future clogs and extend the life of your plumbing system. This will help you save on repair costs, which can skyrocket to thousands of dollars.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Here are the answers to common questions you might have on sewer line cleaning:

How Much Does It Cost to Clean Out a Drain Line?

Cleaning out a drain line can cost you $250 on average.

Calling a professional plumber to unclog your drains can cost anywhere from $100 to $750, depending on the location of your clog.

Finding the exact location may require a camera inspection, which is of separate pricing. A camera inspection is the best way to find the exact location of your sewer line clog.

How Often Should a Sewer Line Be Cleaned?

Call for a sewer line cleaning every 18 to 24 months.

This is a good enough period if you don't jam your garbage disposal unit. Avoid clogs in your kitchen sink and toilets by properly disposing of petroleum, oil, grease, raw meat, pasta, and toilet paper.

Does Jetting a Sewer Line Work?

Yes, it does.

Hydro jetting your sewer line is an effective way to unclog it. However, you'll require the expertise of a plumber for this. You may want to consider the cost of hydro jetting your sewer line.

Conclusion

Don't underestimate minor clogs. They're indicative of problems with your plumbing system and main sewer line.

Keep your sewer line clean to prevent these clogs and more serious issues from happening.