Sewers and drains are an essential part of any plumbing system in any building. But occasionally blockages happen. Hair, lotions, grease and fat, food debris and so on gets your drains inside the building block, but then on a larger scale, the main sewer line can get clogged with larger-scale debris. It is easy for a person to handle their own drains, plungers, an old wire hanger, common drain cleaning tools can get a lot of it. But when looking at how to clear a main sewer line clog the best answer is by calling in professionals.
A clogged drain versus a clogged main sewer line
As mentioned the most kitchen and bathroom clogs happen fairly often. In the kitchen people still pour down hot fats that then cool and solidify in the pipes, they wash food debris down that builds up the blockage, and then there are problems with drainage. In the bathroom, you have the same situation but with slightly different causes. Hair is a big one, but people also drip lotions and creams, small pieces of soap wash down and the occasional lego piece might get shoved down there too! Cleaning these out is sometimes a job you can do yourself. Use some needle nose pliers to pull out the hair that you can see, use a plunger to create a vacuum on the clog you cannot see. Some people might even be quite comfortable using a drain snake, another simple and effective tool.
But there are some things you need to leave to a trained professional with better drain cleaning tools and understanding of the plumbing system. How to unclog a main drain line is something these people properly understand and they are less likely to do damage to it as they work. Having raw sewage in the business or home is dangerous to your health and anyone else in the building. It is important to take action.
How to unclog a main sewer line
A professional with experience will use a system that includes high-pressure water jetting for clearing sewers. The idea is the water is moving at such a high force that it will eventually loosen the clog and build-up and clear the blockage. It is important to understand that not all local emergency plumbers are experienced or equipped to clean main sewage lines. All can come to help you with a regular clog or block in a drain, but cleaning main sewer lines is something only some specialize in. Jetting systems are expensive and they need special training to use them safely and effectively.
Looking for a professional sewer line cleaning business
The two most obvious places to find a suitable business are looking in your local business directory or phone book and looking online. Find ones that work where you are and make sure they have experience with sewer line cleaning and have a jetting system. Narrow down the list and then call that handful you have left. Some might offer free estimates so you can compare pricing. A lot charge hourly but while they do have to check the pipes and the situation before they can fully commit to an action plan, most calls result in an average hour of work before successfully removing the block. This is how to clear a main sewer line clog.
With their inspection, they will then tell you whether the sewer line is broken or not. If that is the case the work is more extensive and more expensive. Fixing a sewer line is a lot more complex than cleaning it. It is possible this will also lead to having to look in your basement at piping and also possibly digging in it and in the garden to reach pipes and check them.
Summary
Some problems in the home are easy to handle and some are a lot more complex. Rather than you looking at how to unclog a main drain line and making efforts yourself, call in professional plumbers who handle sewer line work. It is worth the investment, they will have a lot more success than your attempts would have, plus there is less chance of them damaging the plumbing. As they are more likely to clear the blockage more effectively you are less likely to have the same issue sooner than you would like.
