SERVING 
It finally happened. The plumbing problem you’ve always dreaded is at your doorstep. Your sewer line clogged. Now what?
Unfortunately, a clogged main sewer line isn’t something you can fix with a plunger and a little muscle. It’s a more serious (and more difficult to fix) problem that may literally be buried beneath your home or yard. To fix the problem and get things draining again, you really will need the help of a licensed professional with the proper equipment.
At PV, we love empowering homeowners to solve simple plumbing problems themselves. Our guides to eliminating smells from your drain and fixing toilet leaks attest to this. But when it comes to clogs in sewer lines, there’s not really a DIY option.
This is a dirty job and a stinky, inconvenient problem. Luckily, it’s one you can solve.
Here’s what to do if you suspect you have a clogged sewer line.
How to fix a clogged sewer line
First of all, are you sure you have a clogged main sewer line? You probably do when you have one or more the following problems:
- Multiple sinks, baths, or toilets have drainage problems
- You smell sewage coming from drains
- Draining water in one plumbing fixture causes another one to overflow
- There’s sewage backing up in your basement floor drain or lower-level plumbing fixtures
If you’ve only got a drainage issue with one sink, toilet, or shower drain, you probably don’t have a clogged sewer line. There’s a good chance you can solve the problem with a plunger or a plumber’s snake.
But when you do have a clogged sewer line, here’s what to do.
First, turn off your home’s main water supply. You will also need to stop using all sinks, toilets, showers, and baths until the problem is solved.
Next, call a plumber who specializes in sewer and drain services. An expert plumber will have the tools and expertise to locate the clog and apply the most effective, economical remedy. This service may include:
- Camera inspection: This is how we find the location of the clog. By knowing where the clog is and – this is just as important – what kind of material is clogging the pipe, we can figure out the next step.
- Hydrojetting: When the pipe itself is still intact but there’s some kind of hard material built up inside of it, hydrojetting is sometimes the best option. A hydrojet is exactly what it sounds like. A plumber sprays an extremely high pressure stream of water into the pipe to literally break apart the clog.
- Repiping: In our area, it’s common for tree roots to grow around sewer lines and damage them over time. When this happens, dirt, debris, and root material collects inside the pipes, leading to a clog. When this happens, the best solution is usually to replace the section of damaged pipe or the sewer line itself. Camera inspections help us determine whether root encroachment is the source of the problem as well as the location of the pipe damage.
If your sewer line clogged once, you don’t want it to clog again!
After destroying the clog, replacing the pipe, or otherwise getting your sewer line back into tip-top condition, the next step is prevention. You don’t want this dirty, stinky, expensive problem to occur again!
Here’s how to avoid a clogged main sewer line in the future:
- Avoid pouring cooking oil or grease down the drain. Many people do this, and it’s a good way to drum up business for your local plumbers! When you pour grease down the drain, it hardens inside your pipes. Pour enough grease down there over a period of several years, and you’re almost guaranteed to have a sewer line clog.
- Avoid flushing anything other than toilet paper. Even those supposedly “flushable” wipes will clog your sewer line. Other than human waste, toilet paper is the only material it’s safe to flush down the toilet. No paper towels. No wipes. No feminine hygiene products. All of those items can accumulate in your sewer line and cause a clog.
- Only use your garbage disposal for small bits of food. Garbage disposals are great, but only when you use them for small amounts of very soft food waste. Potato skins, coffee grounds, egg shells, and other hard items are not friendly to your plumbing and can cause local clogs or a clogged sewer line.
Is there a clog in your sewer line? We’ve got you.
If you live in Metro Atlanta and are experiencing any of the symptoms of a clogged sewer line, we can help. At PV Heating, Cooling, and Plumbing, we specialize in sewer and drain services. Give us a call today to identify the source of your plumbing problems and apply the best possible solution.
Simply give us a call at (404) 282-2915 today or fill out the form on this page!
