How to clean sewer pipes: effective ways to eliminate

26-03-2018
Sewage

The blockage is probably one of the most common problems with sanitary communications. A large part of household liquid waste is removed through the sewage system — even a properly assembled system is far from ideal and can be easily destroyed. In most cases, problems occur in the form of impaired patency or full blockage of pipes.

As a rule, problems of this kind are solved by calling a plumber who will professionally fix all the existing problems. However, the call of specialists does not always justify itself, given that the price of services of private organizations is high enough, and workers from housing and communal services have to wait an indefinite period of time. Household blockages are quite possible to remove on their own, without much financial cost and effort.

Pipe clogging is a frequent occurrence requiring immediate intervention.

In this article you will be given instructions on how to clean the sewage pipes with your own hands. With its help you will be able to remove any household blockage and restore the free flow of pipes.

Determination of the causes

Congestion in the sink - an unpleasant situation

If the water does not drain at the same time at all points - the sink, toilet, shower, etc., then you will not be able to remove the fault yourself, since it is located in the central sewer line of one of the floors. Without applying to the HEC is not enough. This should be done as quickly as possible, especially if you live on the lower floors, until it came to the fountains of the sinks and the toilet.

If a new apartment or blockages are formed periodically for no apparent reason, then most likely this is due to improperly designed / assembled communications. In this case, it is also not possible to remove structural shortcomings on our own.

Photo: the problem may be more serious, and without a specialist to cope will not be easy

In all other cases, the blockage can be removed with your own hands.

There are several common causes of clogged sewers:

  • Operational clogging. This is perhaps the most common form of obstruction in kitchen sinks. Its cause is grease on the walls of pipes, which is formed by draining water after washing dishes. Various debris is added to the fat layer and a cork is formed, which actually prevents the liquid from draining.
  • Mechanical blockage. Mechanical blockage occurs due to foreign elements entering the tube - paper, food particles, material, etc. They form a tight and durable cork, which is difficult to remove with improvised means.

Cleaning methods

Siphon washing

Sewage Siphon

Problems with the passage of pipes, often associated with clogged siphon. This device is a sump, which is located directly under the sink on the first pipe bend.

It prevents the penetration of unpleasant odor from the main sewer.

From time to time, it needs cleaning, as it accumulates grease and other contaminants.

  • First of all, it is necessary to substitute a fluid container for the siphon, which will begin to flow after you disconnect it. An ordinary bucket will be more than enough;
  • Siphon disconnects - to remove it, simply unscrew. The internal cavity is cleaned and rinsed with a cleaning agent. Twist the device back should be as tight as possible to avoid leakage. If necessary, you can use different thread seals;

Note! When cleaning the internal cavity of the siphon, do not use hard mechanical means, as scratches will collect grease and dirt.

Cleaning the plunger

Cleaning plunger

Cleaning the sewer pipe with a plunger is the first thing that comes to mind when there is standing water in the sink or toilet. This is the easiest and most effective way, which is always at hand. The principle of operation is as simple as possible: the dome-shaped structure of the plunger creates vacuum shocks in the pipe, pushing through the plug.

To work with a plunger, simply attach the “suction cup” to the drain hole and with a force make several translational movements. The main thing is to create a vacuum under the rubber dome - only in this case there is a chance to push the blockage. However, if the cork has a dense structure and tightly blocked the pipe, then the manipulation of the plunger will not bring the proper result.

Dry cleaning

Cleaning products

Chemical cleaning of pipes is carried out using specialized tools that dissolve the clog. They have a thick texture - simply pour the product into the drain and, after a while, the cork will resolve. Chemical means for cleaning sewage pipes are mainly used in operational blockages of sewage, although in the case of mechanical blockage, they can also have the desired effect.

Note! There is a mass of various drugs, with varying degrees of effectiveness - which means to give your preference, you decide. The only thing worth remembering when working with products of this kind is the mandatory use of personal protective equipment. Almost all drugs have an aggressive acid composition - contact with the skin can cause severe burns.

In the absence of proprietary tools at hand, you can use traditional methods. To do this, boil several kettles of water and dissolve a pack of table soda in them. The solution is poured into the drain, and the soda begins to break down fat. After some time, the cork will resolve.

Cable cleaning

Cleaning the sewage with a cable is an effective method

If none of the options proved to be sufficiently effective, then the last option remains - cleaning the sewer pipes with a steel plumbing cable. This is the most effective type of removal of blockages - it can be used to eliminate both operational and mechanical blockage. The only drawback is the need to climb into the bowels of the sewer.

Remove the clog with a plumbing cable is quite simple - you just need to push it through the pipe to the place of blockage while simultaneously rotating it around its axis. As soon as the water begins to rapidly leave, the cable can be pulled out. The process can hardly be called clean, but in efficiency it has no equal - thus, it is possible to restore the permeability of sewer pipes in 90% of cases.

Total

To avoid blockages, it is necessary to carry out preventive cleaning of the pipes with a solution of soda or a specialized agent. Thus, you will improve the permeability of pipes and reduce the chance of the appearance of a deaf plug.

Conducting such a simple prevention, at least once a month, you are more likely to be able to avoid trouble with stagnant water. If there is already a blockage, then one of the above methods will help you cope with the situation yourself.

You can get more detailed information on this topic by watching the video in this article.