Repair of sewer pipes themselves

Comfortable stay in the home is impossible without a properly functioning sewage system. Whether it is a private household or a city apartment, the provision of waste disposal must be ensured in the first place. In addition, the system requires constant maintenance and timely elimination of faults, and therefore it is necessary to figure out how to repair sewer pipes with your own hands. This will be discussed further.

Before proceeding to the description of actions to eliminate problems with sewage, it should be noted that the damage can be of different types, and therefore will be different and repair measures. The main problems with sewer pipes can be divided into two groups:

• pipe flow;
• pipe clogging.

Each of the options requires an individual approach, which will be discussed below.

Pipe leakage

No matter how well the sewage system is installed, over time from the effects of constant loads, pipe leaks may occur. It is quite simple to detect a malfunction, as in this case drains will begin to enter the room. This will be noticeable both visually by the appearance of wet drips on pipes and adjacent surfaces, and by the formation of an unpleasant odor penetrating from the sewage system.

As for the causes of leaks, they can occur for several reasons, the most common of which are cracking of the walls of pipes, loss of density of joints and general technical wear of pipes, which is usually due to the effects of corrosion. As mentioned above, based on the specific problem, you should choose and the method of its elimination.

Cracking. This situation can occur regardless of the material of the pipe, but still cracks often appear on plastic elements. On the one hand, plastic in this respect loses metal, but on the other, it is easier to work with it. If a large crack appears on the pipe, then you can either replace it completely or replace only the section. It is necessary to solve individually. If the crack is insignificant, then it can easily be sealed with epoxy or soldered.

Leakage connections. This fault also does not have a clear attachment to the pipe material, so the actions to eliminate it will be almost identical. The fact is that special materials are used to seal the joints of individual elements of cast-iron sewer systems. These can be filaments and solutions, which over time lose their operational properties, resulting in the flow. The issue of disassembling the connection and replacing the seal. Another connection option is to use clamps and special couplings. Sealing gaskets also wear out over time, and therefore they must be replaced and tightened from time to time. For PVC sewer pipes, it is often enough to apply silicone sealant on the sealant and insert the pipe into the socket.

Overall pipe wear. When metal is used as a material for the manufacture of sewage pipes in an apartment or private household, over time, under the influence of pressure loads and corrosion, there is a violation of their strength characteristics. In particularly advanced cases, there may be complete destruction of system elements. Therefore, in order to avoid accidents, it is recommended to periodically inspect pipes for signs of a problem and replace them in a timely manner if they are found.

These are the main solutions to the problem of sewer leakage. It should be added that when working independently, it is necessary to be careful and always warn their neighbors from the upper floors about the performance of such work before they start, asking them not to use the sewage for a while.

Pipe clogging

Another common case of sewage system malfunction is mechanical pipe blockage. As a rule, such a problem arises in case of violation of the established rules of operation of the system, but it is possible and quite natural occurrence of blockage. Whatever it was, if the water began to go into the pipes slowly or there is a complete overlap of the drain, so the pipes must be cleaned.

Actions to eliminate blockages can be divided into two types:

• mechanical;
• use of chemicals.

Mechanical means include the use of a plunger and plumbing cable. The first is relevant if the pipe blockage is partial. Some amount of water is poured into the sink or toilet, the plunger is installed vertically and the blockage is pumped in translational movements. If these actions are not enough, then you should apply the second mentioned tool. The cable is inserted into the inspection hole of the pipe or directly into the toilet and pushed further along the pipe. In this case, the device must be rotated.

When using a plumbing cable, care must be taken, as scratches on the pipe walls will increase the likelihood of repeated blockages, and in the case of metal pipes to the formation of corrosion.

As far as chemicals are concerned, care should also be taken. All actions must be carried out in strict accordance with the instructions and safety regulations. With proper application of the described method, you can achieve maximum efficiency by eliminating damage to the pipe walls.

In conclusion, it should be noted that the self-repair of sewage pipes is quite feasible with some general knowledge and skills to carry out such work. However, it should be remembered that it is much more advisable not to bring to the occurrence of faults and on time to carry out preventive measures. External inspection of communications, timely replacement of components and the use of cleaning agents will prevent serious problems with sewage.

Video

This video on sewer repair shows the transition from cast iron to plastic: