How to clean a sewer pipe at home from blockage: solutions + prevention tips

If there is a blockage in the pipe

Before performing a deep cleaning, you need to determine the nature of the blockage: general or local. To do this, it is necessary to pass water throughout the system and determine the approximate location of the plug:

• if, for example, the liquid does not pass only in the bathroom and sink, then this is a general blockage localized in one of the inlets of plumbing fixtures into the sewerage system;
• in the case when water stagnates only in the sink, sink, toilet bowl or bathroom, then this is a local blockage. He's the easiest to deal with.It is formed in the siphon, in the filters of household appliances or the water seal of the toilet bowl;
• water does not pass through the entire system. This problem is quite serious and requires the help of professionals.

Local blockage

You can remove almost any blockage on your own. To do this, it is necessary to disconnect the siphons and corrugations of the bathroom, sinks, sinks and clean the drain holes of the entrance to the sewer pipe well. Cleaning is carried out with chemicals, special granules or a plumbing cable.

How to clean sewer pipes

Pipes usually clog at the most inopportune moment, usually in the morning when you are late for work or even worse, when you need to take a bath or go to the toilet, and the bathroom or kitchen is clogged. In this article, we will analyze the main effective ways to quickly clean sewer pipes without much effort.

Strong blockage in the sewer pipe

How to find out what exactly is clogged in the sewer pipe

It is our main task to identify the problem in time and take quick measures, which is why we will begin to act quickly, so we will transgress, first determine whether water is draining in other sewer units, whether it is a toilet, sink, bath or shower. If the water does not drain in any of them, then we have big problems because in multi-storey buildings, especially on the first floors, the riser itself sometimes becomes clogged and the water not only does not drain, but even in rare cases rises to the top from the toilet bowl or from the bath, then rather dial the number of a plumber or housing office and call them.

It is very easy to find out the ZHEK number, go out into the entrance and read the telephone number on the electrical panel.

This is a blockage that owes its appearance to fat.Yes, grease sticks to the pipes inside, and hair begins to stick to it, and other waste that accidentally enters the sink through the drain hole.

Mechanical blockage occurs mainly due to the fault of the tenant of the apartment - a common example of mechanical blockage is toilet paper, which is thrown into the toilet almost every day. Sometimes the paper is not corroded by water and a clog is formed, which can only be removed with special means that corrode the paper and accumulated debris.

Obstruction in the siphon.

A siphon is a device that you can see below in the picture; it serves as a barrier that protects us from unpleasant odors - it is a kind of filter from direct smell from the sewer. But over time, fat gets into the siphon, which in turn accumulates the rest of the deposits inside itself.

Cleaning the siphon can be very simple - unscrew it and rinse with hot water with the addition of FARRY or other dishwashing liquids - this will remove dirt from the inside.

Picture - sewer siphon

You have a new apartment, and blockages appear from time to time, you don’t know how to deal with it? The answer is simple - this is the worst option of all the above. It is man-made blockage that cannot be eliminated with improvised means, because it occurs due to an error in the design of sewer systems, unfortunately this is not uncommon.

How to clear the resulting blockage?

You can clean the sewer in various ways. The effectiveness of these methods depends on the severity of the blockage. Let's consider these methods.

Means for clearing blockages in the pipe

Picture - means for clearing blockages in the pipe

Improvised means - cleaning pipes with soda.

If you do not have special tools that, with the help of their caustic composition, will help you cope with cleaning sewer pipes, then use improvised measures. So: Boil several kettles of hot water and add a pack of baking soda to the hot water - this will decompose the fat in the pipe and get rid of the blockage.

Chemicals are drugs that, with the help of their caustic composition, will eliminate the blockage. Such drugs include drugs:

How to clean a pipe with a plunger.

A plunger is a device that you can see in the picture below, our grandfathers used this device. In order to clean the pipe with a plunger, simply attach it to the hole in the sink and actively press on it - this will slightly move the resulting blockage and organize the movement of water in the pipe.

Cleaning sewer pipes with a plunger

Steel plumbing cable - an assistant against blockage.

Did the remedies above help? Don't despair, there is one last piece of advice - use a steel plumbing cable with which plumbers usually clear a blockage in a toilet or bathroom - just push it to the blockage and scroll a little - this will eliminate the blockage in 90% of cases.

How to determine that the plug is not in the siphon, but further in the pipe

Before proceeding with a deep cleaning, you need to make sure that the problem is not in the sink, toilet or bath, but in the pipe. To do this, we drain the entire system and evaluate:

• water accumulates in several plumbing fixtures (for example, in a bathtub and a sink), which means there is a general congestion localized at one of the plumbing connection points to the sewer;
• water accumulates only in the sink (or in the bathtub, toilet bowl, sink) - then the blockage is local, which is easiest to deal with, since it forms in siphons, a water seal of the toilet bowl and filters of household appliances (washing machines, dishwashers);
• liquid stagnates in the entire sewer system - a global congestion that requires professional intervention.

You can independently solve the problem with local and general. To do this, we disconnect the siphon, sink corrugation, sinks, bathtubs and clean the drain holes of the sewer pipe. That is, we can pour a chemical agent into these holes, pour granules, but the main way is to clean it with a cable. And if there are no male hands to release the plums and work with them, then we try to influence the problem by chemical and simple methods.

If there is a blockage in the pipes, then it is necessary to clean the drains of the sewer pipes, indicated in the diagram as branches

Chemicals

Manufacturers of household chemicals offer a wide range of special products:

• liquid (for example, "Tiret" (no smell of ammonia), "Mr. Muscle" (with the smell of ammonia) - act gently on the material, but eliminate the blockage effectively, especially in plastic);
• powders (for example, "Komet" - are not always convenient to use, especially if the water does not come off at all);
• acidic (for example, "Mole");
• alkaline (for example, "Whiteness", "Domestos").

Despite the advertising, these products (especially alkaline and acidic ones) in practice should not be often used to clean plastic pipes.Moreover, on the Internet you can find thousands of "horror stories" about how the "Mole" corroded the pipe. Of course, a lot depends on the quality of the plastic, but nevertheless, the use of chemicals more than once a month is not recommended.

Pipe cleaners are available in the product lines of all major manufacturers of household chemicals

Use chemicals according to the instructions on the package. Usually the scheme is as follows: the substance is poured (poured), left for a while and washed off with water. For example, before using the "Mole" you need to put boiling water into the drain, and after the end of the product, rinse the drain with a cold jet.

The main culprits of clogged pipes

For a guaranteed and safe removal of a garbage plug for the pipes themselves, it is important to first determine the cause of its formation. Having found out the reason, it will be possible to say exactly how you can clean the sewer pipes in a private house with your own hands

The culprits of the formation of these same blood clots in the communication system can be various objects and even ordinary soap. Let's take a closer look at the types of blockages.

View No. 1 - a foreign object

Clogging of the pipe can occur due to the ingress of some sufficiently large object into it, which, stuck inside, becomes a place of accumulation of other debris.

Hair caught in the bathtub or in the sink can also be a problem. In large numbers, they form such a serious knot that just hot water can no longer cope.

It is possible to get rid of such a cork from the hair if you remove it mechanically or with a cleaning agent.

In most cases, you can also remove hair stuck in the pipe manually, especially if the blockage is located somewhere in the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe siphon.In other cases, you may need to use a cable

Ordinary paper, even plain toilet paper, thrown down the toilet can be a serious cause of clogged sewer pipes.

View number 2 - salt and fat deposits

The narrowing of the pipe walls can occur due to the buildup of solid deposits on them. They are often formed from various waste products. Waste can be of both organic and inorganic origin.

The appearance of a thick fatty coating inside the pipes can be facilitated by the sticking and settling of numerous particles of fat in the sewer.

The use of hard water is one of the most common causes of blockages in pipes. Water with high hardness forms salt deposits much faster. Metal pipes are especially affected by hard water.

To avoid such a problem, experts recommend installing sewer grease traps. They effectively filter used water and do not take up much space.

View No. 3 - soap plug

Soap clogs are caused by frequent use of soapy water in the sink and bathroom. It is difficult to get rid of because soapy water, once it enters the drain, usually mixes well with other debris and solidifies into a tight plug.

Soap plug is easy to remove with hot water, unless it completely clogs the pipe. If it does not work out with boiling water, you will have to use more radical methods.

The cause of a clogged sewer can also be errors made during the design and / or laying of communications.They create problem areas for the passage of water, in which there is always a high risk of debris plugs.

In such cases, significant repairs are needed, if not reinstalling the entire system again, of course, if you do not want to regularly deal with the consequences of these errors.

Removing blockages mechanically

To clean the pipes with a plunger, you need to perform the following steps:

1. Place the tool over the drain channel.
2. Open the water and draw it into the sink so as to cover the bowl of the plunger.
3. Make sure there is no water under the plunger.
4. Perform 15-20 vertical swinging movements without lifting the tool from the surface.

The procedure for using the rope is as follows:

• first dismantle the siphon;
• the end of the cable with a handle is inserted into the sewer pipe and, turning it counterclockwise, is gradually immersed;
• during operation, the cable is periodically pulled out for cleaning;
• the procedure is repeated until the blockage is completely eliminated;
• at the end of work, mount the siphon again and flush the system with hot water.

Place of blockage

When the water stops leaving through the toilet, sink hole or bathtub, it is necessary to find out not only why the blockage occurred, but also in what place. Before you clean the sink, it is worth examining the most problematic areas.

Certain symptoms indicate where sewer pipes need to be cleaned:

1. When the fluid does not drain from the tub or washbasin, and the rest of the plumbing is functioning normally, this means that the problem is in their siphon or knee. It can also be connected to a corrugated pipe connecting the siphon to the sewer system.If the device farthest from the riser stops functioning, then it is possible that the comb is clogged.
2. In the case when part of the plumbing equipment does not work, and the water leaves the toilet normally, this indicates a clogged junction of the comb with a tee or a cross behind the toilet. If the comb is slack, debris always collects in a counterslope area.
3. When all the devices do not function, and the water level in them begins to rise when draining from the neighbors in the riser, then a blockage formed in the sewer bed in the basement. Another reason could be a blockage in the riser.

Radical solutions to the problem

When the blockage cannot be eliminated with the help of folk remedies and chemicals, it is worth trying to deal with it using mechanical methods.

Option number 1 - vacuum cleaner

You can use a vacuum cleaner to deal with blockages. However, the appliance must have a blow function. If you are the owner of such a technique, then first wrap the end of the hose of the device with a loose rag

It is very important to fix it well.

Lean the hose firmly against the drain hole and turn on the vacuum cleaner to the maximum. A powerful stream of air will push out the plug formed in the pipe.

It is necessary to install the device tube at a right angle, trying to press its end to the drain hole as much as possible.

Using a vacuum cleaner is effective when the problem is no more than 1 meter from the drain hole.

Option number 2 - plunger

Use a plunger to pump the drain, which can be manual or mechanical. This device is sure to be found in every home.It helps to create strong pressure inside the pipe, due to which the blockage is broken or pumped deeper.

While pumping, move the plunger back and forth without lifting the bowl from the drain. Take a few approaches, and then remove the plunger and evaluate the effectiveness of the work. If the liquid comes off slowly, you will have to repeat everything from the beginning.

Before working with a plunger, it is advisable to lubricate its edges with grease or petroleum jelly. Then a tighter contact with the sink will be ensured.

Option number 3 - plumbing cable

When a plug has formed at pipe bends or far in communications, a plumbing cable is used. With it, you can hook and pull out the blockage or clear it.

The process of cleaning pipes with a cable begins with the dismantling of the siphon. Do not attempt to cable straight through a plumbing drain. Only by removing the siphon will you get free access to the sewer.

After installing the cable into the pipe, start screwing it clockwise, trying to slowly push it forward. Act smoothly and gradually, avoiding sudden movements.

There is a hook at the end of the cable, so use the tool carefully when cleaning plastic pipes so as not to damage them

If you encounter resistance, rotate the device until it continues to move. After that, you can put the siphon in place and flush the system.

Not everyone has a plumbing cable, but if you want, you can buy it at any plumbing store.

Read about the types of plumbing cables for cleaning sewers in this material.

In addition, you can build this device with your own hands from a plastic bottle and improvised materials.

The instruction is as follows:

1. Tape the bottle from top to bottom with strips of tape so that you get a spiral.
2. Draw lines along the border of the adhesive tape with a colored marker.
3. Cut the bottle according to the marks you made.
4. Be sure to leave the bottom - it will act as a handle.
5. On the resulting spiral, make small notches.
6. Insert a homemade cable into the drain and push it slowly holding the "handle". Due to the notches, debris will cling to it, thus it will be possible to overcome the cork.

This device is only suitable for plugs that are not too far from the siphon.

During sewer cleaning work, do not forget to periodically turn on the water. This will help you get rid of dirt faster.

For blockages at great depths, steel wire with a diameter of 5-6 mm is used. One end is crochet.

Option number 4 - disassembly and cleaning of the siphon

As mentioned at the beginning of the article, in 90% of cases, water does not pass beyond the sink due to clogging of the siphon.

The procedure for cleaning it is as follows:

• Spread an unnecessary rag on the floor that absorbs water well. It should be directly under the siphon.
• Place a basin under the sink into which the liquid will merge in the future.
• Unscrew the lock nut that secures the siphon tube.
• Remove the siphon. Remove all dirt from it (it is convenient to do this with a brush), and then rinse thoroughly under running water.
• Pour a solution based on soda and vinegar into the pipe connected to the sewer. When the reaction is complete, add another 150 ml of vinegar.Repeat this procedure several times.
• After 15-20 minutes, pour a few liters of hot water into the pipe and wait 5 minutes.
• Reinstall the siphon and tighten the lock nut.

As a rule, if you follow the instructions given, you will be able to deal with the blockage the first time.

Mechanical sewer cleaning

After the cause and place where the blockage has been found, you need to decide how to clean the pipes.

Pipe clogged with paper

The easiest way to remove a cork from paper is with a water hammer. A significant increase in fluid pressure on one side will push the wad of paper through the bottleneck.

Important! This will not completely remove the plug, but only move it into a lump in the riser. Paper usually sags in the riser and does not cause more problems.

But sometimes it is possible to block the exit to the well or the bed. This trouble is possible if the sewer is clogged with grease, hair or other debris.

Water hammer can be created in several ways:

1. Plunger. Such a device covers the liquid in the discharge area from the bathroom or sink. With sharp pressure on the handle, high pressure is created in the pipe;
2. You can create a water hammer using a plastic bottle, you need to take a container of 1.5-2 liters in volume, tighten the cork tightly and cut off the bottom. This device is used as a plunger;
3. You can create a water hammer with the simplest device from a stick and a rag, which is folded in several layers. She is placed on a mirror of water at the point of discharge from the toilet, and sharply pressed on her with a stick. Do not get carried away - too strong blows can damage ceramic plumbing fixtures.

The last option can only be used when the toilet is clogged.A paper cork that clogs a pipe cannot be pushed in this way - when you press the device, the liquid will begin to flow into the bathtub or sink.

Clogged with food waste

Such pollution of sewer pipes is best cleaned with a plumbing cable. Outwardly, this is an ordinary steel cable of small diameter, a handle is fixed on one side of the cable, with which it can be rotated.

It is necessary to mention several important subtleties of using such a device:

• The cable must be inserted into the pipe stretched. If it weakens, then it will fold in half and form a loop;
• It is most convenient to work with a partner, one person stretches the cable and rotates the handle, and the second pushes it into the pipe;
• The cable should pierce the blockage several times;
• Remaining debris is removed by pouring a lot of water into the pipe.