How to Unclog Drains Without Chemicals
(Page 4 of 5)
December 2007/January 2008
By Steve Maxwell
If plunging or vent work doesn’t solve your toilet problem, then you’ve got two options. You can call a plumber who can use a power snake to auger out the drain, or you can rent a snake and do the job yourself. Either way, rest assured that you’ve got a serious blockage that would give anyone trouble.
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Relieving Main Drain Pain
If your original quick test revealed chronic clogs house-wide, or if you’ve noticed that your drains are getting slower and your house is connected to a septic system, the whole thing might be backed up. Leaching beds eventually fail because they get plugged with various material (fibers in laundry wastewater, etc.) and can’t leach any more. If this happens, the main drain leading from your house fills completely with water, causing all drains to stop and back up. Blockages in drainpipes leading underground to municipal sewage systems can also cause problems that may first appear in household drains.
If you trace your troubles to a main drain blockage, there are three typical causes. Tree roots may have penetrated older style pipes, leading to reduced flow or complete blockage. Soap sediment could also have hardened within a dip in the pipe. Occasionally main drains also collapse due to shifting soil or compaction, though this is rare.
Plumbing codes require a clean-out port to be located in the main drain just before it leaves your house. As you open this, be prepared for a flood. If the main drain is blocked, it could be holding back significant water in the pipes of your home. Get ready to catch it with tubs, garbage cans or several large buckets.
With the main cleanout open, start work by feeding a manual or power-driven drain snake into the pipe to see if it will clear the blockage. Main drains can be quite long, so make sure you’re properly equipped. If you find that soap sediment was the cause, consider switching to a liquid laundry detergent. They don’t settle out like laundry powders sometimes do in the stagnant dips present in some main drains.
There’s nothing fun about unclogging a drain, except for the feeling of success when you’re done. You’ll be satisfied to know you saved time and money, and confident you’ll be able to handle the next clog.
The Problem with Garbage Disposals
You may want to think twice about installing or using an in-sink garbage disposal in your kitchen. Garbage disposals operate by chopping up food waste and washing it down the drain, but there are three reasons why you shouldn’t do this.
The first has to do with closing the nutrient loop. The organic matter that enters your home should be returned to your soil where it can enhance plant growth. Diverting vegetable scraps into a household compost bin is a better option than sending scraps and peelings down a garbage disposal.
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