Clogged Drains

A sewer line that has root intrusions will not get better. The decision to replace it depends on the customer’s budget, severity of the intrusion, and future plans for the property.

There are a few options when an approved access point for a sewer is not available. The best method depends on the layout of the property and bathrooms.

The two main methods are pulling a toilet and accessing the sewer drain or going through one of the larger sewer vents on the roof. When going through the toilet drain, the issues are that you have to bring in the equipment which can be bulky and messy. This requires drop cloths and being mindful of the potential for splashing waste water during the drain cleaning. Also, if the sewer line is currently fully blocked, the drain below the toilet will be holding waste water making it very difficult to keep the work area clean. This is not a preferred method but sometimes is the only option, especially if it is a multi story building.

When accessing the clogged sewer line from the roof vent, the obvious hazard is working on a roof. The other difficulty is that, due to the vertical pipe extending from the bottom floor and through the roof, it adds a lot of distance between the access point and the clog. Also, if the vent pipe has been routed around a lot of framing, it may not even be possible for the sewer cable or jetter hose to even navigate the piping to get to the clog. Suffice it to say, having an approved two-way cleanout installed in the ground is always the best option. What we prefer to do is locate the sewer line outside with our sewer camera, dig up the pipe and install a cleanout. That way it can be cleaned and inspected to see what caused the clog and make it easier for future service.

This answer really depends on the material of the pipe, location of the access point, and pipe diameter.

For kitchen drain clogs, commercial or residential, a hydro-jetter is the best option due to the types of clogs we typically see with kitchen drains. Usually the clogs are due to grease/sludge build-up. This is best cleaned with high pressure water that can scour the inside all 360° of the pipe and remove the build-up. A traditional sewer cable will leave some of the build-up and allow for another clog to occur as it really just punches a hole in the hole in the clog instead of fully cleaning the pipe.

For root intrusions on sewer lines, either a high speed drilling machine (flex shaft w/ chain flail heads) or a hydro-jetter with root cleaning nozzles is also best because either will shred the roots completely, assuming the pipe is in good enough condition to clean. If the root intrusion is due to a major misalignment or being crushed, sometimes it is severe enough to where we can not do anything other than dig it up and repair it. For more information on what high speed drilling drain cleaning machines are, check out our YouTube channel for a video demonstrating the benefits and features.

When cleaning a shower drain, bathtub drain, washing machine p-trap, or lavatory sink drain, traditional sewer snakes are best. This is because these pipes are typically 1-½” in diameter or have p-traps that the cable has to navigate in order to clean. A traditional small diameter cable is best for this job since it can handle these turns in the pipe more easily than a jetter hose or flex shaft. The other reason a cable is best is that these drains typically clog with hair and soap, and a cable with the right head can better clean and remove these clogs.

The short answer is no chemical is best for unclogging a drain.

Contrary to the claims made by manufacturers of the drain cleaning products available to the public, most of these will only work on very few types of clogs, like minor hair clogs. More often than not, they cause more harm than good, depending on the chemicals used. Some of these products can be hazardous and cause skin irritation or burns to the skin and eyes, so proper safety glasses and gloves are highly recommended when using them. Also, depending on what is in the drain when the drain opener is applied, a chemical reaction can occur making the issue worse or dangerous as the clog can react harshly with the drain opener product.

The safest and most effective means to clean a drain is through mechanical methods. If these products worked as well as they claim, we wouldn’t have as much business as we do for cleaning drains.

*Note: if a chemical has been unsuccessfully used first to attempt to unclog a drain and then a professional has been called to deal with the clog, please inform the plumber that a chemical was used. There are a lot of stories out there where plumbers have been injured due to exposure to very harsh chemicals used prior to their arrival when clearing a clog.

There are a few reasons as to why this can happen. A properly installed and sized kitchen drain should not clog regularly (yearly or otherwise).

If this is happening, what we often find is the line is not sloped properly or has developed a sag on the horizontal portion which will allow for build-up to develop in that sag. Even if grease is not being poured down a kitchen drain, grease can build up inside a kitchen drain pipe when there is a sag if the kitchen is being used regularly for cooking and cleaning. All food will have a certain amount of grease or oil in it that can accumulate in the pipe if there is a sag. If a cable is used to unclog it, it will not properly remove the build up because it can not force the build-up out of the sag. The best method of cleaning this is to use a hydro-jetter. A hydro-jetter will remove all the build-up in the sag and scour the pipe to open it fully.

Another common cause of regular clogs on a kitchen drain is if the pipe is made of cast iron or galvanized steel. These materials are designed to last 50 years in the ground. Over time they corrode from the inside out and can have major scale or sludge build-up. If the pipe is still in good enough condition to be accessed, then there is a good chance it can be cleaned effectively with a high speed flex shaft or hydro-jetter. Sometimes we find that the cast iron or galvanized pipe has holes or has too much scale build-up to even get the equipment inside to clean it, so the pipe needs to be replaced in order to fix the issue.

This issue happens when there is a clog or an issue with a sewer vent pipe.

If the gurgling occurs each time a certain fixture is used or a group of fixtures are used but the fixtures drain properly, then the issue is most likely related to a vent pipe or lack of a vent pipe. The specific cause of this can be determined by an experienced plumber who would need to perform some diagnostics to see exactly what is happening. Usually when it is a vent pipe causing this issue, it has been happening for a long time but no other symptoms have presented themselves.

If gurgling occurs all of a sudden without warning, it is usually caused by a clog. What is happening is that a clog is present inside the pipe downstream of the fixture and stopping the waste water from flowing properly. When this happens, the horizontal sewer pipe begins to slowly fill up with water while a fixture is used like a toilet, shower, or washing machine. Because the water can not flow properly down the pipe, air becomes trapped in the pipe as it fills. This air will travel to the closest fixture, usually a toilet or tub/shower. If you hear this, immediately stop using any fixtures or any water. If you have a sewer cleanout access outside or somewhere accessible, you should pull the cap off the pipe and check to see if there is any standing water inside the vertical portion of the cleanout. If there is, then leave the cap off and either call a professional or rent the necessary equipment to deal with the clog.