You May Need To Call A Plumber For Help With One Of These Common Sewer Line Problems
If you're having trouble with the drains in your house, you may need to call a plumber—such as Merrell Plumbing—to look in your sewer drain with a video camera to see what's going on. Your sewer drain can develop a few different issues, and it helps the plumber to know the nature of the problem so the right repairs can be chosen. Here are three common things that can go wrong with your home's sewer line and what a plumber might do to help the situation.
1. A Paper Clog Has Formed
The sewer line is where all the drains in your house empty out. That means the sewer collects lint from the washer, grease from the kitchen, and hair from the bathroom. All of these combine with paper to clog up the line. Some types of paper dissolve quicker than others and present less of a problem. If you have the habit of flushing wet wipes, you may eventually have to deal with a clog since wet wipes are very slow to break apart.
Your plumber can use a drain auger or a hydro jet to clear out a clog in your sewer line. You can reduce the risk of another clog forming by being selective about what you flush down the drains.
2. Tree Roots Have Filled The Drain
If there are a lot of trees in your yard or in a neighbor's yard, you may eventually have a sewer line that's full of roots. Roots get in through joints and cracks. Once inside, they keep growing and fill up the drain. Tree roots can even damage the pipe and cause it to crack or collapse. Tree roots are a common problem, so your plumber may want to look in the pipe with a camera to see how bad the root issue is.
Roots can be removed from a drain with a hydro jet or a drain auger. However, if the roots have broken the pipe, the plumber has to repair or replace the sewer drain. They might dig up the drain to work on it or use a patch to plug a hole. They can even pull a liner through the drain to create a new drain with no joints so roots can't get back inside.
3. The Pipe Is Broken
A sewer drain might crack or be crushed if you drive over the pipe, or even if the earth moves in an earthquake. You might even bust the drain when you're digging in the backyard. When a sewer pipe bursts, it leaks toxic wastewater into your yard, so prompt repairs are essential. It might be possible to repair the damaged drain by pulling a liner through it. If that's not possible, the plumber may need to dig up the entire pipe so it can be repaired or replaced.
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