People usually don’t think about sewers and drains until something goes wrong with them. In that moment they usually call a professional to handle the problem for them, but you should know a few things before you do.
What if you have backed up sewers and drains that you simply can’t clean out?
In case your sewer is backed up and you tried cleaning it with a drain cable but didn’t succeed, you might think there is something wrong with the city sewers. In situations of this kind, the best thing to do is to inspect the sewers with a camera. It is common for people to break the clog partially, but not to be able to remove the roots entirely. When people try handling the problem on their own, they often find that the roots reappear because they have been only moved aside. It is important for all the roots to be cleaned out, and it is easiest to check that you have removed all the roots with a camera.
In such situations it is highly unlikely for the problem to come from the city lines, but nevertheless, it is worth having a camera inspection to see what state the lines are in and how much damage has been done by the roots. Keep in mind that the sewers under your home are your responsibility.
Having a clogged bathtub drain
If you have a bathtub drain clogged, you might try using hot water and the pipe snake. However, it is highly unlikely for hot water to take care of the problem. In situations of this kind, you should call a professional plumber to clean the drains. If you have plastic pipes, you may be able to push the grout to a wider line. However, if you have steel pipes, this might not be an option unless the grout is very thin.
In case you have a lot of grout and you manage to break through it, it will simply go down another line and clog that one too. You could try removing the trap and then use the pipe snake. If this doesn’t help, you might be forced to change a few feet of pipes.
If the kitchen drain takes longer to drain, does it need to be changed?
Before you start thinking about changing the pipes, first you should try some cleaning products. There are some products that have been especially developed for cleaning grease, hair and scum. Some other products are meant to stop root growth. The best thing you could do is to ask a professional plumber about these products. They will be able to recommend you some that will really work for your problem.
Handling sewers and drains isn’t very difficult as long as you know what you’re doing or you have the help of a professional. Otherwise, you could do more harm than good and it could turn out to be a very expensive project for you. If you don’t have any experience, let the professionals handle the job for the best results.
