Do it yourself: Tips about how To Clean Out Your Main Drain Line

Utilizing a Sewer Snake 
If the trap is clean and the drain consistently clogs, the blockage is further into the sink's drain pipe or the main drain. To clear these drains, you'll need a plumber's auger or, as it is more commonly called, a sewer snake. With the trap removed, insert the snake into the sink drain line and push in until you meet the obstruction. When the tip of the snake is against the clog, try to catch the clog by rotating the snake's handle clockwise. When the debris is sturdily hooked, twist and push the clog back and forth until you split up the clog. Flush the pipe with cold water. Once the obstruction is gone, reassemble the sink's trap. When you reassemble the trap after cleaning, you need to reseal the threads. Use pipe joint compound or Teflon tape. Run water for a few minutes to make sure the clog is completely flushed and the trap is not dripping where it has been reconnected.

Unclogging the Main Drain 
If more than one sink, bathtub or toilet is obstructed, you'll need to clear out the main drain line or the sewer. To clear out the main drain line, locate the clean-out plugs found on the larger drain pipes. Look for these plugs on the vertical pipes in your basement or crawl space. In a number of homes these drains may be positioned in a garage or pantry closet, or there might be access to these plugs outdoors along the foundations of your house. Typically these pipes will be vertical, but on occasion a plug may be found on a horizontal pipe. When you locate a steel or plastic cap for the pipes with a square fitting at the top, take off the fitting with a wrench. Be sure to have a waste bucket in position when opening up the drain. Use a plumber's snake to separate up any clogs. Make sure to insert the auger in both directions of the pipe. You can also use a powerful stream of water from your garden hose to break up any debris. Replace the steel cap of the drain pipe.

Suggestions for the Kitchen Sink
Pour grease into cans and dispose of them in the trash. If you happen to empty grease into the sink, the grease accumulates along the sides of the pipe and then food particles adhere to the pipes, gradually leading to a clog. Also a lot of grease can eventually cause sewer blockages since the bacteria in sewage systems cannot readily break down oil. When you are grinding up food in a disposal, run lots of cold water to flush food particles down the pipe. Using not enough water can contribute to the particles accumulating along the sides of the pipe. Don't empty coffee grounds in the sink. Pour a kettle of boiling water down the drain once a week to liquefy any fat or grease that may have collected.
 
Tips for the Bathroom 
Wash the pop-up stoppers in sinks routinely. Hair typically collects here and causes clogs. Never flush heavy paper products down the drain. Unnecessary paper can block up the toilet and/or the whole sewer system.

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Placerville Plumbing Repair  - (530) 961-4099
1390 Broadway Ste. B-341 Placerville, CA 95667-5900