A clogged drain, is there anything worse? Yes, a clogged sewer main is worse. Especially if it will not stop coming out into your house or building. From time to time we need to do a little extra work keeping our drains flowing properly. Taking hair out of the tub drain is one small example. How about grease from a kitchen sink drain? Sometimes however the sewer main needs the attention. If your drain lines are backed up, all of your appliances and fixtures in the business or residence will not drain, the first call should be to the city (if you are on sewer, not septic). This usually means the main sewer line is stopped up. Let us discuss some important information about sewer mains being clogged. From here on out commercial or residential structure will be referred to as the building.
Most municipalities respond within two hours. Have them determine where the stoppage is for free. If you do not use the sewer and the water stops rising, relax and take a deep breath. This means that the clogged drain should not continue to overflow. Keep an eye on the water level as often as possible for precautionary measures.
If the system continues to rise it means the city main sewer is backing up into your structure. If this is the case you have no control over the course of events to follow but you can help yourself and your neighbors. When you call the city make them aware that the city sewer is backing up into your building. Do not wait for the city with this scenario. Call your local plumber or drain cleaner, fill them in and get them headed towards you ASAP.
When the city or plumber arrives they will open the clean out near the road to determine who will fix the problem. If it is full of water it is on the city side and they will send someone out to jet the line or cable it. The end result is usually the same, it will be unstopped. If there is no water then you need a plumber because it is stopped up before the city clean out. If there is no clean out your responsible to clean the entire length of pipe from your building to the sewer in the road.
Some municipalities may vary with their proto calls. Many times the clean out is just buried. If this is the case many cities have a special locator that finds them in the yard. If there is no clean out and the problem was on the city side a cleanout should be installed. After reading this article you now know how to tell which side the blockage is on if there is a city cleanout at the road. This will save you money, time and frustration should the drain stop up again.
I am hoping with everything going on you haven't had the time to try a drain cleaner. DO NOT USE DRAIN CLEANERS. The safety of the person working with your problem is at stake. If you have please be sure to tell the professional.
If you are on a septic tank, stop running water. Crisis averted! Do you know where the lid is to the septic tank? I do not recommend taking the tank lids off by anyone other than a licensed professional. If you haven't gotten your tank pumped in a long time...over seven years, call out the septic tank company. They can pump out the tank and check on its condition. They will also be able to tell you what is the primary cause of the sewer line being clogged.
It could be a problem with the leech fields, the tank, or the drain to the tank. If you are fortunate your septic tank company has a drain cleaning machine in the event it is the sewer coming towards the tank from the building that is causing the problem. If it is the main drain and they don't have a drain machine, call a plumber. You have not wasted a single dime with the septic tank company up to this point. Knowing exactly where the tank is will also aid the plumber or drain cleaning company in cleaning your drain.
