When talking about any profession, most people tend to focus on the here and now. That's understandable. it's really important to know what's going on in the present tense. But you are missing out on some vital information if you never read and learn about the history of a profession. This applies to plumbing, in particular. You can really further your understanding of the profession by knowing how it began and what changes have been made over the years. That's why we sometimes reference the history of plumbing on this blog. We'll also dive into the future of the profession from time to time because, after all, you have to know where you're headed.
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A blocked sewer line can affect every drain in your home. When this occurs, the worst-case scenario can lead to raw sewage backing up the drains. Proper clog removal and ongoing cleaning can prevent this from ever occurring.
Clog Causes
Sewer line clogs are caused by one of two factors: drain usage patterns or outside damages. Drain usage clogs occur when items are placed down a drain that simply shouldn't be. Grease, paper products, food, and hygiene items are common culprits of drain clogs. They collect in the main sewer line until water can no longer pass by the blockage.
The main outside damaging factor is tree roots. New roots start as hair-like tendrils, which are able to force their way through the minuscule cracks at a sewer pipe joint. Once inside the pipe, the roots grow rapidly until the pipe is filled with fresh feeding roots and a clog has formed.
Cleaning Options
The old way of clearing sewer line clogs is to feed a long flexible cable, called an auger, down the sewer line. The head of the cable has sharp teeth that grind their way through the clog and clear out the pipe. Augers are often still used to snake out small clogs or to clear very stubborn blockages.
A newer method is hydrojetting. Your sewer line cleaning service feeds a cable down the line that is designed to spray high-pressure jets of water in all directions. This not only removes the immediate clog but also blasts away small roots and hard-to-reach pockets of collected material so that it takes longer for a new clog to develop.
Preventative Care
Clearing a clog is only one part of the process; you must also make sure it doesn't come back. The first step is to avoid putting anything down a drain that can cause a clog. Generally, only water and human waste, including toilet paper, should go down the drain. Avoid placing fats in the drain and don't use the garbage disposal as a trash can.
Annual sewer line cleaning can also prevent clog buildups. By hydrojetting annually, tree roots never have a chance to form in the drain and residue never really gets to build up. Your cleaning service may also treat the drain line with a chemical designed to prevent root growth between cleanings.
Contact a sewer cleaning service if you need to schedule clog removal or preventative cleaning.
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