Cleaning the sewer in a private house: types of blockages and methods for eliminating them

Cleaning sewage in a private house is a serious event aimed at eliminating clogging in the sewer pipe. Blockages in sewer pipelines are a common problem. There are several ways to remove a blockage, however, it is much easier to follow measures that exclude the occurrence of plugs in sewer communication.

The choice of a method for cleaning the sewage system in a private house depends on the exact place in which the blockage formed

The main causes of blockages

Traffic jams in sewer pipes are a fairly common occurrence. There are several reasons for the occurrence of such blockages. The main reason can be called the incorrect operation of this system. The occurrence of blockage is accompanied by the following consequences:

• the occurrence of an unpleasant odor coming from the drain hole of a sink or other plumbing equipment;
• a decrease in water pressure in the system or its complete disappearance also indicates that the pipe lumen is partially or completely blocked;
• when using a sink or bath, you can notice that water is not removed into the drain hole (this also indicates a clogging of the system);
• raising the water level in the toilet.

To choose a way to eliminate the blockage, you first need to figure out the cause of its occurrence. Consider, because of which, most often there are blood clots in the sewer communication of a private house:

• clogging of the pipe due to a large object that fell into it and blocked the lumen;
• overgrowing of pipe walls with solid deposits. Such deposits occur due to organic and inorganic waste products of human activity;
• the appearance of a greasy film, which is formed due to the ingress of fatty particles into the sewer pipe. Fat plugs are considered hazardous to metal pipes.

Helpful information! The grease film occurs due to improper operation of plumbing equipment, into which various food waste containing fat is poured.

• soap plug. Appears during the operation of the sink in the bathroom of a private house. It is quite difficult to get rid of such a blockage, since the soap that has got into the pipe through the drain is mixed with other foreign particles and solidifies;
• getting hair into the bathroom and sink drains can also cause clogging of pipes. Removing such a cork can only be done in two ways: by chemical cleaning agent and by mechanical means;
• Errors in the design and installation of sewer communications that cause water stagnation and the rapid occurrence of various deposits in problem areas. In this case, only re-installation of the system will help;
• if water has a high hardness index, then the rate of occurrence of salt deposits on the walls of sewer pipes increases. Metal pipes are the most vulnerable in this case.

A sign of clogging in the pipes is a deterioration in the performance of the drain in plumbing fixtures

Even ordinary toilet paper dumped into the toilet can cause blockages in the sewer.

4 types of blockages

All blockages are classified by nature into 4 main types. Consider them:

1. Operational. This type of blockage can occur as a result of the accumulation of fat in sewer pipes, which accumulates during the operation of plumbing equipment and mixes with other foreign elements (hair, food particles, etc.).
2. Mechanical. It arises as a result of improper use of plumbing and, as a rule, consists of various garbage (toilet paper, rags, etc.).
3. Biological. Biological plug appears due to the disposal of food waste and human waste products. To eliminate such a blockage, it makes no sense to use pipe cleaners. In this situation, only disassembling the siphon and cleaning it with subsequent washing in a soap solution will help.
4. Technogenic. This type of thrombus in sewer communication occurs due to improper installation of the structure. It is recommended to call a specialist who will perform the necessary repair of the system.

All of the above types of blockages are problematic, however, each of them is eliminated in its own way. Next, we will consider methods for eliminating various traffic jams.

How to clean the sewer in a private house?

The most common way to eliminate blockages in the sewer system of a private house is a chemical pipe cleaner. Today there is a huge variety of cleaning products, the most popular of which are Mole and Tiret. A clogged pipe can be cleaned using folk methods, such as boiling water or a solution of soda with vinegar. If chemical cleaning does not help, it is recommended to use mechanical methods.

The first aid for a blockage in the pipes can be a folk or store chemical agent

As a rule, the cause of clogging of sewer pipes is the incorrect operation of the system. Do not also forget that the cork in the pipe can occur due to the ingress of a large object into it. In this case, it is recommended to use the mechanical method of cleaning sewer pipes.

You can cope with a clogged sewer pipe using the following common methods:

• simple folk methods (boiling water or soda with vinegar);
• chemicals that are most popular for eliminating organic plugs;
• mechanically. This method involves the use of a special plumbing fixture - a cable for cleaning pipes;
• hydraulic method. In this case, the sewers can be cleaned using a directed stream of water, which is supplied to the system under high pressure.

Rinse with boiling water

Using boiling water allows you to clean the cork in the sewer pipe, resulting from the ingress of fat into the system. It is recommended to determine the type of clogging before starting the cleaning itself. There are two types of blockages, depending on the location in the sewer:

• general;
• local.

The local blockage within the premises can be identified in a simple way.

With a general clogging of the system, it will have to be completely cleaned, and with a local blockage, a certain element of the pipeline sewer structure will be cleaned. To determine the type of blockage, it is recommended that all drain points be checked. Depending on the speed of water disposal in the drain, you can determine which pipe is clogged or determine that the problem is clogging of the riser (if all the drains in the house are not functioning properly). The process of cleaning the pipe with boiling water looks like this: a certain amount of boiling water is poured through the drain into a clogged sewer pipe.

Note! To clean a clogged pipe, use about 6 liters of water.

Experts do not recommend using boiling water to clean the toilet, as a large amount of hot water can damage it. Plastic pipes can be deformed from boiling water. Sewer cleaning with boiling water is considered the simplest method, but in some cases, such an event can help cope with clogging.

Pipe cleaning with vinegar and soda

Another common folk method for eliminating clogging in a sewer pipe is the use of soda and vinegar. Such a means for cleaning sewer pipes is characterized in that it is able to eliminate organic blockages that have formed in the sewer system during operation. A solution of soda and vinegar perfectly cleans pipes clogged with fat.

Consider how to clean the sewer system using soda and vinegar:

1. First of all, it is necessary to fill the soda in the drain hole. The amount of soda should be approximately half a glass.
2. Next, pour vinegar into the drain hole.
3. After that, the drain hole must be plugged with something and wait about 2 hours.
4. At the end, the drain hole is uncorked and about 4-5 l of hot water is poured into the drain.

This procedure will allow you to get rid of fatty blockage, as well as ensure the movement of particles of blockage through the pipe. The use of soda and vinegar does not guarantee a complete removal of the cork from the sewer pipe. If this event has not yielded any results, you must use a different cleaning method.

Tools for cleaning pipes need to be selected depending on the place of blockage and its type, since such compositions are acidic or alkaline

Cleaning sewers in a private house with chemicals

Any chemical compound is aimed at softening and dissolving the garbage cork. To choose the right tool for cleaning the sewer, you must take into account the nature of the clogging of the sewer pipe.

There are three types of chemicals for cleaning the sewer, depending on the consistency:

• liquid;
• gels;
• powdery;

If the area in the system is clogged due to fat deposits, you must first try a folk remedy for cleaning, and after that, an alkali-based product that can be purchased at almost any store.

Clogged sewage in a private house (if the nature of the plug in the system is not determined) is cleaned with acid-based products. This is important, as acidic agents do their job well and dissolve debris in the sewer.

Many manufacturers of chemicals for cleaning the sewer system recommend leaving powdered products overnight. There is one important rule in this regard: if your pipes are made of polyvinyl chloride (PVC), then this is strictly not recommended. PVC products can easily be damaged chemically. When cleaning the sewer from clogging, in no case should you mix two or more cleaning products for pipes, which are different types. This is due to the fact that the simultaneous use of an alkaline and acidic product will lead to a neutralization reaction and this will greatly reduce the cleaning efficiency.

Autonomous sewage in a private house has a specific structure and there are special means for cleaning some of its components

Chemical sewer cleaning is quite simple, but it is worth considering another important rule: before starting this event, it is advisable to study the instructions on the packaging of the cleaning agent.

Cleaning the sewer with a plunger

This method involves the use of a plunger, by means of which a clog in the sewer is affected by water hammer.Cleaning with a sewer plunger allows you to achieve the necessary pressure for water hammer.

Let us consider in stages the process of cleaning up a sewer pipe clogged in a private house with the help of this device:

1. First of all, it is necessary to fill the sink or bath with water. It is important to remember that the water level must be higher than the rubber element of the plunger.
2. Next, the tool must be placed above the drain hole.
3. Then, translational movements are made, by acting on its handle. The pressure should be approximately 15–20.

Cleaning with a sewer plunger allows you to get rid of all kinds of blockages. The main task in such a situation is the impact on the garbage stopper with pressure and its breakdown, followed by pushing the blocking elements further down the sewer pipe.

If after 3 cycles according to the above-described scheme the pipe is still clogged, then it is necessary to try another cleaning method.

Helpful information! You can combine two options for cleaning the sewer system, namely: the use of a plunger and chemicals.

If the blockage is very dense or has an inorganic origin, it can only be removed mechanically

Mechanical sewer cleaning

Mechanical cleaning of the sewer structure is performed using a special plumbing fixture - a cable. Such a cable is able to break the garbage cork and clean the sewer, which was clogged with various large foreign elements (toilet paper, rags, construction waste, etc.).

A plumbing cable is a metal cable, which can be made with a spiral texture. A special nozzle is placed on one end of the cable, which can have a different shape (a petal nozzle, a tight narrow nozzle, or another), and a handle on the other, for the convenience of carrying out cleaning work. The shape of the nozzle is selected depending on the nature of the blockage in the sewer pipe.

Cleaning of sewer networks by means of a sanitary cable is carried out as follows:

1. Cleaning with a sewer cable begins with the fact that the cable is neatly placed through the drain hole in the sewer pipe. The main advantage of such a tool is its flexibility, thanks to which the cable can reach the localization of the garbage jam without any problems.
2. When a blockage is reached, resistance will be felt, so determining its localization will not be difficult. It is necessary to check 3-4 times whether the cork is reached. To do this, the cable is pulled back, and repeated advances are made.
3. After the cable rests in a blockage, it is necessary to slowly begin to rotate its opposite end. This is done to destroy the garbage jam.

Using a plumbing cable, you can deal with the difficult clogging of the sewer pipe. The main rule that should be observed during such cleaning is to be careful.

Hydrodynamic sewer cleaning

Such a cleaning of the sewer pipe is carried out if all of the above methods have not yielded any results. Using this method, as a rule, the external sewage system is cleaned. This option for cleaning the external sewage system is considered the most effective. This is due to the fact that by cleaning with water under pressure, you can cope with a blockage of any complexity.

The hydrodynamic method is the most effective, it allows not only to break the cork, but also to clean pipe walls from plaque

The use of this method has another plus: in addition to the main localized cork from garbage, the inner walls of sewer communication are cleaned.

The device for hydrodynamic cleaning has the form of a hose with a special nozzle. The nozzle is perforated, that is, it differs by the presence of holes through which water jets under pressure are supplied. The device includes an apparatus forcing the desired pressure indicators.

Note! A device for hydrodynamic cleaning of a sewer pipe is quite expensive, however, for this purpose you can use a regular garden hose, which can also cope with some blockages in the sewer pipe.

All of the above methods may come in handy if your sewer is clogged. As mentioned above, it is first necessary to determine the type and location of the blockage, and only then choose the appropriate option for its elimination. In addition, if necessary, you can always use the services of a professional.