Check Your Clean-out First, check the clean-out next to the house to see if it has water in it. If it doesn't contain any water, then you know the blockage is somewhere in the house plumbing.
There should be no standing water in the piping. If you keep the wipes out of the drains it might be years before you have any more problems with the pipe. If it keeps clogging you will need to excavate the pipe any make the repairs. I'd wait and see.
If sewage or dirty water is coming out of your home's sewer line cleanout, or if there is water standing around the cleanout pipe, this confirms you have a main sewer line clog.
ALL drains are supposed to have water standing in them at the p-trap. The trap holds water that blocks deadly sewer gasses from entering the building.
Not necessarily. It depends on how the cleanout connects to the sewer; whether any water is passing through the sewer at the time; and the volume of water that may be passing through the sewer at the time it is under observation.
If water is left to accumulate inside the outside drain, it can cause serious damage to your home. The water can cause cracks and collapse in your foundation. It also serves as a breeding ground for bacteria. This bacteria can cause unpleasant smells to arise inside the drains.
Drain blockages and clogs can cause major problems. Take it from the experts: no one ever wants to see sewage backup in their home! That's why we recommend scheduling drain cleaning every 18 to 22 months.
Clogs, clogs, clogs: Recurring clogs can be one reason that sewer lines keep backing up. You'll experience persistent clogs if things like oil, grease, hair, “flushable” wipes, or other items keep entering your drains and sewer line.
You will likely pay around $350 to $650 to have a plumber unclog a main sewer line unless you have complications like serious damage to the line.
A drain cleanout pipe is typically white or black and looks 3, 4, or 6 inches in diameter. Most caps are made of ABS plastic, though about 76 million homes in America still have cast iron sewage lines made with brass, cast iron, or copper plugs. Only plumbing professionals should use the drain cleanout.
So, can a sewer line unclog itself? Unfortunately, the answer is no — very small clogs may wash away on their own, but they can also develop into larger clogs that require a fix from a professional plumber.
Dual cleanouts provide redundancy in case of blockages or accessibility issues. Two cleanouts allow for easier access to the sewer line from different directions. They facilitate simultaneous cleaning or inspection of different sections of the sewer line.
The first answer is YES: Your sewer drains should hold water in certain locations. The reason for the water in the drainage fixture is to prevent rodents and smells entering the building. For example a toilet pan has water in its bowl always this is to prevent foul smells entering the building.
Call a plumber to have them rooter the line. Some rooter/plumbing companies have sewer line cameras. These are nifty for “seeing the problem." If the water is standing in the pipe or overflows out the cleanout, then you know that the problem is from that point out.
You can tackle a clogged sewer line using other strategies if you don't have a snake on hand. First, you can run hot water down the drain for 5 to 10 minutes to see if that helps break up the clog. If it doesn't, pour equal parts of vinegar and baking soda into a bowl and then pour that mixture down the drain.
If you notice water gushing back out from the drain pipe or leaking out from the seams on the adapter, that is a sign that there are clogs in your underground drain.
With a clogged basement drain, pouring Drano or similar products down your sewer drain can actually damage your pipes or the glue holding them together, causing more sewer system problems in the future.
Snaking a main line—also known as rodding or augering—costs between $100 and $250, but it can leave residue or smaller debris. Hydro jetting uses a high-pressure hose for major clogs and clears out the pipe more extensively. This service runs a bit higher at $350 to $600.