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Sewer Cleaning
A majority of homes in cities and suburbs, rely on sewer lines to take waste water to the public sewer system. Septic systems are different in that the main sewer run to the tanks are relatively short, whereas sewer main likes can extended hundreds of feet. The most common appliances that send water into the sewer lines are toilets, sinks, washing machines, dishwashers, floor drains, and the garbage disposal. This is considered by home owners to be a crucial component of the residence that needs to be in proper working order, to remain efficient and effective. Occasionally, sewer lines become damaged or blocked and this can cause the need for very expensive repairs and lead to inconvenient problems. Common causes of clogged and damaged sewers include tree roots, grease, collapsed pipes, and flushing things down the toilet, that do not break down. Sewage backups and clogged main lines can smell horrible, become unsightly, and render household appliances nearly useless. When a situation gets to this point, its critical to call upon a professional sewer cleaning contractor for the accurate diagnosis and action plan to fix the problem at hand.
Older homes are very likely to encounter problems at some point for a few key reasons. One is simply because the piping is old and age makes everything more brittle and more prone to failure. Another crucial factor is linked to the fact that sewer lines used to be made of segmented clay piping, which is brittle and separates over the course of time. Tree roots are really hard on the older clay sewer pipes because they can crush them and they frequently work their way in between the sections of pipe. The result is a collapsed and segmented system that can not efficiently channel the wastes to the sewer system and instead they end up underground in the surrounding yard. Often times, a professional sewer cleaning contractor can run a color, fiber optic camera into the main drain and actually see the problem. This ends up with two possible options for the homeowner, which are to snake the line or replace the line.
Modern sewer lines are made with PVC piping, which does eliminate some of the problems with the segmented, clay construction piping, but they still have clogging issues as well. Grease is another common issue that effects sewer piping of both constructions, because it goes down the drain and hangs up on the inside of the pipe. The most common source for the grease is introduced at the kitchen sink. Grease tends to grab other disposed items making the clogs really bad, in a short amount of time. Once again, a specialty sewer camera is the only way to reveal the actually source of a clog and this must be done by a professional sewer cleaning contractor, who has real world experience identifying and diagnosing such problems.
Collapsed sewer pipe can be the result of heavy equipment driving over them, an earthquake, and tree roots, just to name a few causes. This scenario is usually diagnosed by a sewer camera and the only logical option at this point to replace the entire line or, in some cases the isolated area that is damaged. This is a large job and will require heavy industrial backhoe equipment and a high dollar service bill. In some cases, snaking the drain may provide some temporary relief, but in the long run the pipe will still require replacing. This is a scenario that can be avoided or postponed by thorough preventative checks from a professional sewer cleaning contractor. The small price that you will pay for their expertise is much more appealing that entirety of the replacement cost for a brand new system.
The problem that contains more potential for variables than any others is flushing things down the toilet that don't break down. Very common examples of this include baby wipes, paper towels, cloth, hair balls, and plastic. Some other items that have been found in sewer lines include bones, towels, and other various household goods. In some cases a homeowner can get lucky and flush one of these items down the toilet and it makes it all the way to the sewer. In the event of existing blockage and/or a collapsed pipes, items like the baby wipes or paper towels amplify the problem immensely. When partial or total blockage occurs, it is evident because there is usually backup and potential flooding that will occur and sewer water smells bad and is black in color. This may rise up through floor drains or, even worse, back up into sinks, toilets, and appliances. Toilet paper and liquid wastes are the only items that are intended to pass through a sewer line, because of the fact that they are biodegradable.
Sewers are a luxury of life that most people would not want to live without, so it is important that we take care of our sewer lines. Proper care means getting periodic checks from professional sewer cleaning contractors with cameras to see the condition and potential blockages in older homes. It is also critical that only designated items go down the drain or get flushed down the toilet. Lastly, it is necessary to observe abnormalities with your drainage and get a professional involved in the maintenance of your system at the first sign of a problem. These basic tips should keep your system going strong for a long time to come.
For some plumbing tips and basic plumbing questions, you can go to
plumbingquestions.info. |
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