Lateral sewer lines connect a building’s plumbing to the public sewage lines. Clearing out clogs from these lines are the responsibility of the property owner. Blockages in these sections of sewage lines must be quickly cleared out to prevent potential overflow. Plumbing companies are vitally important at this time. They are the ones that are often called when the time comes to clear one of these clogs. While the process is not difficult, San Diego plumbing companies point out that the tools required put this project outside the reach of most home-owners.

The first step in clearing the clog is to shut off the water and locate the access point of the sewer cleanout. In northern regions, prone to snow, these cleanouts are often located in basements. In climates that do not have snow, they are often located outside the home. In both cases, there are usually several entry points to the pipe. The entry points are usually easy to open by hand or with a wrench. From these entry points, a variety of tools can be used to clear out these clogs.

The most common tool used by Atlanta plumbing companies is a plumbing snake, also called an auger. Plumbing snakes are long coiled cables that have large heads. Snakes vary in length and head design. More expensive units are longer and have electric motors that assist them in navigating the pipe lines. These specialized and powerful snakes require training and experience to use. These powered snakes can cause damage to drainage pipes if they are not used correctly. One of the traits of these snakes is the variety of heads.

Head variations are designed for different purposes. Some are simply large heads that are designed to punch through soft clogs. Other heads are made to cut through roots that may grow into the pipes. Some snakes are specialized and have small camera that allow the plumber to examine the nature of the problem, without having to break apart the pipes. Others can be used to take samples of the clog so that the exact cause can be determined.

Inserting the snake into one of the access points can be tricky. It is important to make sure that the snake is going with the water flow. Houston plumbing companies warn that if the snake is sent back towards the building, damage to plumbing is possible. The snake should be slowly fed into the pipe. To make some corners the snake will have to be worked back and forth. Once the blockage is reached, you should note how far in the snake has gone. Use this note as a guide for future clogs. If clogs occur in the same place, there may be a more serious problem with the pipes.

If there are persistent clogs, you will need to contact a professional plumber. Repeated clogs may indicate that there is a problem in the pipe. Usually sewer clogs are located in these lateral lines that empty into the municipal sewer. Continued clogging may indicate an issue with the main sewer line and the city will need to take care of the issue. Hiring a plumbing professional will reduce the amount of time that you will have to deal with restricted water use and backed up sewage. They will also know when to alert the city to possible problems with the sewage main lines faster than most home-owners.