Sewer line clogs are some of the most expensive and disastrous plumbing problems at home. This is mainly because most sewer lines run underground. This creates a problem of access, which makes diagnosis of various sewer line problems almost impossible to an amateur. Plumbing companies use cutting edge plumbing technologies to diagnose and solve various sewer line issues. In order to diagnose a clogging problem in your sewer lines, the plumbing company will use underground video camera inspection. This is where the plumber will install a video camera inside your sewer lines and moves it along remotely until he finds the clog. The plumber monitors the movement of the video camera and sees everything inside the sewer lines using a video screen above the ground. Nowadays every established residential and commercial plumber in DC offers video camera sewer inspections. Plumbing companies use various technologies to unclog sewer lines. The most commonly used sewer line unclogging technologies include hydro jetting, and sewer snaking or rodding. Today we are going to look at the five main causes of sewer line clogs.
Broken Or Damaged Sewer Lines
Sewer lines wear out with time. After many years of usage, sewer lines get damaged and broken like all other installations. This is mainly caused by continued usage, corrosion, weight pressure by overlying structures and soil, and so on. If your sewer lines are broken or damaged, then you will suffer very serious clogging problems. This is mainly because the broken sewer lines do not drain liquid waste as well as they should. You will find that the damaged pipes maybe leaking or could have caved thereby blocking the flow of liquid waste from your house to the septic tank or municipal main sewer system. You should have all your sewer lines inspected regularly by a licensed plumber, to repair or replace any old damaged pipes in your sewer system to avoid sewer line clogs.
Tree Root Intrusion
Tree roots are another major cause of sewer line clogging. Big trees have very long and strong roots. These roots usually grow downwards and infiltrate your sewer line network. The roots can even penetrate the sewer lines and clog the sewer system by blocking the flow of liquid waste in the pipes. You should remove all big trees that grow above your sewer lines to prevent tree root intrusion.
Bad Flushing Habits
One of the most common causes of sewer line clogs is bad flushing habits. This is where people flush all kinds of waste down the toilet. The toilet should only be used to flush human waste. All other items including paper and cloth napkins, feminine products, and so on should not be flushed down the toilet to avoid clogging.
Bad Waste Disposal Habits
Just like bad flushing habits, bad waste disposal habits are a negligent and careless cause of sewer line clogs. Many people dispose solid waste in their sink drains. This is a major cause of drainage and sewer line clogging. You should also avoid dumping oils, fats, and greases in your sink because these coagulate inside your sewer lines thereby clogging the entire sewer system.
Sagging Sewer Lines
Underground sewer lines tend to sag after some time. This is mainly caused by natural and environmental factors like soil shifts. There is nothing you can do to prevent sagging sewer lines except having them inspected and replaced as soon as possible.