How to Clear a Clogged Sewer Line

Dealing with clogged drains can be easier with the right knowledge and skill to handle them. But what if the sewer line is the one giving your drains a hard time?

It might be quite difficult to differentiate a regular clog to a sewer line clogging. In this article, there are a few tips that can help you determine this very easily.

1. First, if you are faced with multiple drain clogs, then it is important to know if these are backed up. So you need to check these plumbing fixtures like toilets, bathtubs, and showers. Try to check if they all make gurgling sounds whenever they are backed up with water. If they do so, then it is obvious that the main sewer line is clogged.

2. Second, if you observed that water backs up in uncommon places when you try to use plumbing fixtures, there is a great possibility that your sewer line is in trouble. Check when you flush your toilet if there is gurgling noise in your shower drain or tub. The same goes when running your bathroom sink if water will rise or bubble up.

If one of these signs ever come to your observation, then it is time to clear up your sewer line with haste.

Shut Off the Main Water Supply
The primary thing that you need to do is to shut the main water supply at home. A shutoff valve should be located somewhere at the back or the basement or near the water heater or in the garage. Then it is time to call a professional to handle it. In cases like these, there is not much that you can do unless you are equipped with skills to do so.

Nevertheless, if you are really inclined to fix it yourself then there is a two-step process that you can apply. Sewer line cleaning can be tedious, but with the right tools, you can do it like a pro.

  • First thing that you need to do is to run a plumber’s snake or a drain auger that can be pushed through the sewer to clear out the clogged items within it.
  • The next thing is to use a fiber optic camera that can be used to look down the line to determine what to do next. Most of the time, there are items that cannot be diluted because of the type of materials in there. Likewise, if you live in a place surrounded by trees then roots can grow into these pipes that may hinder the drainage. The camera will allow you to see what is inside the line.

It is crucial to determine what type of clogs you will be dealing with. Otherwise, you will likely be just throwing away your hard-earned dollars without getting any results. There are a number of things that can be done by yourself, particularly when clearing clogs in drains or even the part when your sewer line gets clogged as well. But when you come in contact with sewer line troubles, perhaps it is time to get the assistance of experts before the problem gets any worse.

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