Every once in a while you might face the issue of clogging or blockage in your sewer lines. This can get quite nasty and bothersome and calling in drain contractors means a hefty sum to take out of your pockets. However if the clog is not very disastrous then you can surely go for a DIY solution.

Signs Of A Sewer Line Clog

Before you get down with dirty work, you need to know the signs that will tell you that your main sewer line is clogged.

Slowing down of water in any of the drains.
Overflowing of the water from the drains.
Bubbling or gurgling sounds from the toilet bowl while flushing.
Smelly water or water which shows some sort of discoloration.
Water comes up in the shower or drain area when you flush the toilet.

If you have any or all of the issues then surely your main sewerage line is clogged up.

Cleaning The Sewer Line

The first step for sewer line cleaning is that you will need to wear heavy work gloves.
Once you have worn the gloves, you need to go to the main line and gently loosen the cap of the sewer pipe. You might need a pipe wrench for this. The reason for slightly loosening is that the water might flow to fast and drench you with all the blockage.
You will need to open the sewer line pipe and quickly move away.
The water will come out bringing with it all the clogging and things which have gone down the drain.
After this you will need a drain snake. You will have to rent this machine and make sure to follow all the instructions correctly as it is a heavy machine.
Slowly insert the drain snake with the help of the auger till you reach the clogged up area. You will eventually know when you reach the clog as the snake will get stuck,
Turn on the auger machine once you reach the clog and allow it to run till all the clog has been removed. You will know the clog has been cleared when the level of water in the sewerage pipe start to decrease and eventually be completely drained out.
Once the clog has been cleared you should not stop there. There might be some debris and residue left in the nooks and corners of the sewerage pipeline which may lead to problems in the future so it is better to clear everything.
The next step is you should spray the hose of water down the sewerage pipes in full force to clear out any if the debris or junk left and also to clean up the auger.
Slowly and gradually pull out the drain snake, hosing as you go about it. It is recommended to hose the auger 2 to 3 times before taking it completely out. Then you need to place the cap back and remember to securely tighten it with a pipe wrench.
Sometimes the general clogging is not an issue in your drain lines but the issue is of the tree roots which have made their way into the pipelines causing serious obstruction. These roots cannot be cleared off by the general drain snake method as it for clogging only.
For the roots you need to flush down strong chemical solutions in your toilet. The chemicals tend to kill the trees roots. But it is not possible with just one flush. You will need to make multiple attempts for a few days to completely kill or get rid of the tree roots. However even after the tree roots have been killed it may take a few months to get rid of them from the drainage pipelines completely.

Get The Help Pros

If the problem of the clog still persists then you will need the help of the professionals then. You can even go for a camera inspection which is putting a camera inside your pipeline which will send images and videos of the clog and what exactly the issue is. This will be done by the plumbers.

Final Word

A clear drainage line and pipeline is the foundation of any house. Clogging of the drainage is a serious issue and one that needs to be addressed immediately. And hire sewer cleaning companies to avoid mismanagement issues.