Drain and sewer cleaning is something most homeowners will need to have done on occasion. Hiring a professional plumber ensures the job is done properly and avoids damage to your plumbing. Let’s explore the methods plumbers use to clean drain pipes and sewer lines.
How Snaking Works to Clean Drain and Sewer Lines
Snaking is a fairly effective option for clearing blocked drains and drain pipes. A pipe snake is just a rotating tool attached to a long cable that can be fed down a drain. The plumber slowly feeds the auger and cable down through the pipe either by turning the crank on the snake or using a drill to mechanically extend the cable. When the auger reaches the clog, it essentially forces its way through the solid materials. As long as the water is running while using the snake, the clog easily gets broken up, and everything gets washed out of the drain pipe and into the main sewer line.
Larger, electric versions of a pipe snake, typically referred to as drain augers, are primarily used to clear clogged sewer lines. The main difference with this type of machine is that the auger is more like a spring-loaded blade that expands to where it touches the sides of the sewer line. To clear a sewer line, a plumber inserts the auger and cable into the pipe through a sewer cleanout inside or outside the home. In case the home doesn’t have any sewer cleanouts, the plumber can also remove a toilet on the lowest floor and then feed the auger down the drain until it reaches the sewer line.
The machine that powers the drain auger has a spinning drum that allows the plumber to easily extend the cable down through the sewer line. As the blade spins, it scrapes away debris from the insides of the pipe and also cuts through toilet paper, waste and other solid materials. The machine is powerful enough that the blade can also cut through tree roots in the sewer line as long as they’re not too big. As with a normal pipe snake, you need to have the water running in at least one sink while using the drain auger so that everything gets washed down the sewer line and flows out into the sewer main under the street.
How the Hydro Jetting Process Works
Hydro jetting is like pressure washing the drain pipe or sewer line. The hydro-jet machine creates an extreme amount of pressure (between 1,500 and 5,000 psi), which produces a strong jet of water that sprays out of a special nozzle. To clear a clog or clean a pipe, the plumber feeds the nozzle and long hose down through the drain or sewer line. The jet of water that sprays out of the front of the nozzle is powerful enough that it can blast straight through even the worst clogs. It can also cut through even larger tree roots like a knife through butter. The nozzle also has other holes on the side that spray jets of water, and these jets work to scour away fat, scum, food waste and any other debris stuck to the sides of the pipe.
The hydro-jet machine allows the plumber to adjust the water pressure as needed. They’ll usually run the machine on lower pressure, especially when cleaning or unclogging drain pipes inside the building. However, they may turn the pressure up when cleaning a sewer line. Before hydro jetting, a plumber will almost always use a drain camera to inspect the pipe to determine what condition it’s in and also what is causing the clog. If tree roots are present in the sewer line, they will always run the machine at a higher pressure just to make sure that all of the roots get cut out of the pipe and flushed into the sewer main.
Benefits of Hydro Jetting Drain and Sewer Lines
While using a pipe snake or drain auger is fairly effective for eliminating clogs, there is no doubt that hydro jetting works much better. The only issue is that the hydro-jet machine produces so much pressure that it has the potential to damage old pipes. This is especially true for old cast iron sewer lines since they are often quite fragile or brittle due to rust, corrosion and simply because of age. That’s why it’s essential that the plumber first inspects the pipe with a drain camera. If the pipe is old and not in great shape, using a drain auger or pipe snake is always going to be the better choice.
One of the biggest benefits of hydro jetting is that it fully cleans the insides of the pipe. The insides of drain and sewer lines are often coated with fat, grease and scum. This sticky coating is one reason why you’ll sometimes experience clogs since it can trap other food scraps, paper products and other solids that go down a drain or toilet. That then leads to a blockage building up that can eventually prevent even toilet paper and human waste from going down through the pipe. This is why having the drain pipes inside your house and your main sewer line hydro jetted once or twice a year is a fantastic preventative measure since it will get rid of any fat and debris clinging inside the pipes.
The most important thing to remember is that you should only flush toilet paper and human waste. Flushing any other solid materials like paper towels, wipes, or feminine hygiene products can easily result in a major clog. You should also make sure to use sink and shower strainers in the kitchen and bathroom to prevent food scraps and hair from going down the drain.
How to Know When Drain or Sewer Cleaning Is Necessary
A sink that won’t drain at all or a toilet that won’t flush obviously indicates the drain pipe is fully clogged. In this situation, you can try to use a sink or toilet plunger to see if you can fix the problem. What you don’t want to do is attempt to use drain cleaner since it can damage your plumbing.
Look for signs that a drain pipe or your sewer line is starting to clog, such as if one or all of your plumbing fixtures start draining more slowly than usual. A chugging or gurgling noise coming from a drain or toilet as the water goes down is another thing to watch for. Similarly, a toilet that suddenly flushes slowly or incompletely also indicates a partial clog.
Since 1925, AJ Danboise Plumbing, Heating, Cooling & Electrical has been offering reliable home services throughout the Farmington Hills area. Our plumbers are always ready to help if you need to have your drains cleaned or require any other plumbing services. We also have a team of experts on hand to take care of all of your electrical, air conditioning and heating needs. Whether you need a drain or sewer inspection or any other service, give us a call today, and we’ll get everything taken care of quickly and professionally.
