What to do at home if the toilet is clogged
If the hydraulic seal is clogged, this problem can be solved by mechanical or chemical cleaning. But, before you start removing the plug, you first need to study the S-shaped area of \u200b\u200bthe shutter. To do this, put on a rubber glove on your hand and immerse it in the toilet. If there is a foreign large object in the drain, it must be removed before mechanical cleaning is carried out, otherwise it may fall deeper and the drain will be completely blocked.
The cleaning process itself looks like this:
1) first you need to close all the drain holes in the bathroom and in the kitchen;
2) then draw 5 liters of hot water and put on rubber gloves;
3) after that, you need to take the plunger on the handle and place it down with the suction cup into the drain hole;
4) then you need to pour water into the toilet so that it completely covers the "sucker";
5) at the end, it is necessary to make several reciprocating movements with high frequency.
In addition, before starting work with the plunger, it is advisable to pour 5 liters of hot water. This is necessary in case “water-soluble” debris has got into the toilet - this will help to make the cork softer.
In general, the process looks quite simple. However, for prevention, do not forget to pour one of the effective cleaning products (Mole, Flup, etc.) into the toilet at least once every few months.
Chemicals against blockage in the pipe
Household chemicals can remove any deposits: tufts of hair, wool, grease, dirt, food debris.
Means are acidic and alkaline. In the form of release - powder, liquid, gel.
Acid-based chemistry is versatile, can remove dirt and blockages in metal and plastic pipes.
Gel products are the most expensive and easy to use. The gel is simply poured into the drain, and the powder will have to be poured with hot water.
Some products are enough for 20 minutes, others need to be left in the tube for the whole day. Do not use the bathroom or sink during this time.
The most famous chemicals:
- Mole. The powder will eliminate loose blockages caused by grease or soap deposits. He can't undo his hair. Not suitable for plastic.
- Mister Muscle. Universal granular agent for all types of pipes. It has an antibacterial effect, eliminates unpleasant odors.
- Tiret. An effective gel without harsh fragrance.
- Bagi Pothan. Fast-acting granules against strong blockages.
- Sanfor. Inexpensive universal gel with a neutral smell.
All these tools are aggressive, you need to remove the blockage in the pipe with gloves, an apron and goggles.
The use of improvised means to eliminate sewer blockages
If it is not possible to use professional equipment for cleaning the sewer system, you can use some available tools:
- The drain hole is cleaned of accumulated debris and a liter of boiling water is poured. After 15 minutes, 200 g of baking soda is poured into the sewer. After that, pour the same amount of boiling water. The procedure is repeated several times until the blockage is removed. The use of soda allows you to create an alkaline environment in the sewer, which helps to cleanse it.
- Pour 150 g of soda into the drain, then pour 150 ml of table vinegar. There will be a chemical reaction with the formation of foam. The drain hole is closed with a stopper and wait a few hours. At the last stage of pipe cleaning, they are washed with boiling water to remove blockages.
- 130 g of soda and salt are poured into the drain hole. A small amount of boiling water is also poured there. The drain must be closed with a cork and wait 8 hours.This time is enough to break down the plaque on the walls of the pipes, which led to blockage.
- To prevent blockages, it is recommended to periodically pour a specially prepared mixture into the drain. It consists of the following components - table salt, soda, cream of tartar (4:4:1). After filling this mixture, the sewerage is washed with boiling water.
Cleaning pipes with baking soda
Sewer blockage what to do instruction to eliminate blockage
The sewer system in your apartment or house is designed to remove drains. However, malfunctions may occur due to improper operation and improper use. The most common sewer malfunction is its blockage, that is, a violation of the normal flow of wastewater. What to do? In really serious cases, you cannot avoid calling a plumber, but in the vast majority of cases, you can eliminate the blockage in the sewer yourself, using basic tools at hand.
Sewer blockage what to do
What to do if sewer pipes are clogged
If your sewer is clogged with grease deposits in your house, the easiest and most effective way is to pour boiling water down the drain. This will melt the fat and clear the pipe. If the siphon is clogged, it will need to be disassembled and thoroughly cleaned from fat accumulation on the walls.
If the problem is more serious than you initially thought, then you can clean the clogged pipes with chemicals. To fix the problem, alkali is perfect, which can be purchased at every plumbing store, it is usually sold in the form of a powder or gel.
In other cases, acid is also often used, but you need to work with it very carefully, since you can get burned if it gets on open skin. To successfully solve the problem, use one of these chemicals, strictly following the instructions.
Important! In no case do not mix alkali and acid, this can lead to undesirable consequences. If the chemical effect did not work properly, then it is time to move on to mechanical methods.
For example, you can use a plunger or a plumbing cable, each of these options is perfect for residents of private homes
If the chemical effect did not work properly, then it is time to move on to mechanical methods. For example, you can use a plunger or a plumbing cable, each of these options is perfect for residents of private homes.
Before starting mechanical cleaning, to increase efficiency, do not forget to pour a special agent into the pipe. If you are using a plumbing cable, you need to be very careful with it when you have a plastic piping system installed.
The process of working with a plumbing cable looks like this:
1) first, unwind the cable, and insert it into the drain hole. If necessary, open the plug, it can interfere with work. Then plunge the cable into the hole until it reaches the blockage. In order not to confuse the junctions of the pipes with a blockage, pull the cable slightly towards you, and then try to push it forward again. If the cable rested and does not go further, it means that you have reached a blockage;
2) further, by means of a cable, begin to destroy the rubbish accumulated in the sewer pipe with translational movements. To simplify the work, it is recommended to pour boiling water into the drain hole from time to time;
3) when you feel that a free passage has begun to be felt, you can remove the cable from there and pour some hot water or a cleaner into the hole.
Chemical way to clean the sewer
To clean the sewer system, which is clogged, there are many means. They are sold at any hardware store.Such products contain aggressive chemical compounds that can break down deposits on the walls of the pipeline. Most Popular:
Mole;
Domestos;
Tiret Professional.
Most prepared liquids or powders contain caustic soda. Therefore, all work on cleaning the sewer must be carried out with rubber gloves and a respirator. On contact with the skin, they cause thermal burns. Also, when using such funds, they are strictly forbidden to mix with each other. As a result, they can release toxic substances that are extremely dangerous to humans.
After pouring the finished liquid into the sewer, it is recommended not to use the plumbing fixture for some time. This is necessary to complete the chemical reaction and completely clean the sewer.
Video: Clogged sewer - how to clean
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The effectiveness of household chemicals in blockages
The modern market can offer a huge selection of sewer cleaners, but before buying them, you need to make sure that they are effective enough.
In the picture below, you can see common chemicals that can help with blockages.
Household chemicals for blockages
All products from this series act on the basis of the active substances dissolving the residues that provoked blockage.
Usually these substances contain acid or alkali.
If we talk about preventive measures to eliminate blockages, then special household chemicals are the best way to clean pipes. This should be done periodically and regularly, then you will greatly reduce the risk of blockage.
With an existing blockage, household chemicals are also effective, but if a large object has fallen into the sewer pipe, then it will not be able to help much.
All these remedies should be tried at the beginning of the fight against blockage, and if it is small enough, then chemistry will successfully cope with this problem.
Types of household chemicals
When choosing an effective chemical blockage remover, you should definitely pay attention to the fact that the substances that make up this product are suitable for your pipes. Today, plastic sewer pipes are very popular.
Despite their strength, they are sensitive to chemical attack, so if you clean the blockage with ammonia, the plastic pipe will be damaged.
Today, plastic sewer pipes are very popular. Despite their strength, they are sensitive to chemical attack, so if you clean the blockage with ammonia, the plastic pipe will be damaged.
The same rule applies to other pipes. Before buying, carefully read the label for contraindications to the use of the product. If this description is not in the instructions, then it is better to refuse it. You can see an example of an instruction indicating all the rules of use below.
Instructions for household chemicals
In addition, you need to take into account other features of different types of household chemicals.
The main types of tools for cleaning pipes are:
- Powder products;
- Liquid products or gels;
- Chemistry for cleaning pipes in granules;
- Bath products that dissolve hair;
- Means for the kitchen, dissolving fat.
All these types of household chemicals have their own purposes and methods of application.
Mode of application
The use of one or another chemical agent for cleaning pipes directly depends on the form of its release.
If it is a liquid or gel product, then you just need to pour it into the drain on the problem area of \u200b\u200bthe sewer with a blockage. After the time specified in the instructions has elapsed, the chemical agent is washed off with plenty of running water.
If the cleaning agent is purchased in powder form, then after filling it into the drain, it must also be poured with boiling water.
For more effective cleaning, you can wait a little longer before rinsing with running water than indicated on the package, but do not overexpose the product, because this can lead to plaque on the pipe or damage to it.
In addition to these well-known tools, there are more modern ones that are easy to use and safe for human health.
An example of this is the tool shown in the photo below.
Water hammer cleaning
It creates a short-term and powerful water hammer in the pipe, which instantly clears the blockage.
The basic rule when cleaning a blockage is that in no case should two different products be mixed. This can provoke some pretty serious consequences for you and your plumbing.
Mechanical way to solve the blockage problem
If all of the above remedies did not help in eliminating the blockage, then you need to use a mechanical method to resolve this issue.
For this, the following devices are used:
- Plunger of different types;
- Plumbing cable;
- Special professional mechanisms.
The correct use of the cable and plunger, as well as the mechanism of their work, we will describe below.
Special mechanisms also come in different types and are used for blockages of great complexity. Compact and modern modifications are used by professionals.
The most popular mechanical way to eliminate household blockages with the involvement of professionals is to clean pipes under pressure.
Water is poured into the sewerage system under the action of a sufficiently high and powerful pressure to clean all pipes.
This method will be able to eliminate the blockage of any complexity if it cannot be done by other methods.
You can make a home version of such pipe cleaning. To do this, a washing vacuum cleaner is suitable, which will supply pressurized water to the place where the blockage is located and eliminate it.
Pressure cleaning
Necessary tools: plunger and plumbing cable
A plunger, as a rule, is in every dwelling. It can help not only with blockages, but also with their prevention. If the water does not pass well and there are suspicions of a blockage, you can immediately use the plunger, and a major blockage will not form in the future.
The plunger is based on a very simple mechanism. Under its rubber cap, air arises, with strong and sharp pressure, this air creates a water shock and pushes the blockage formed.
The plunger is designed specifically for sewer pipes and is ineffective when cleaning the water supply.
The cable, which is called plumbing, is used for all types of pipes. In the picture below you can see what it looks like.
Plumbing cable
It can be both for domestic use and for professional use.
There are such types of cables clearing blockages:
- A wire rope measuring 6 mm in diameter and about 5 meters in length. Suitable for home use;
- The cable in the form of a spring, 9 mm in size, is equipped with a convenient handle for turning it;
- Cables with a diameter of 13 and 16 mm are used by professionals and reach a length of up to 60 meters.
For a long time, plumbing cables have been widely used for blockages and successfully eliminate them.
To use the cable, one end must be inserted into the drain hole and rotated to the point of blockage.
While it is moving, debris clings to its spiral, the cable pushes the blockage forward or pulls it out.
Cleaning sewers in a private house by chemical means
This method will tell you how to clean the sewer using chemicals. To do this, you need to buy means for cleaning the sewer. All these funds, of which there is a huge mass, are freely available. It will not be difficult to buy them in any specialized store. These are various gels, liquids, granules, powders. But they differ in that they contain a large amount of caustic soda, which perfectly and quickly breaks down not only fats, but also small pieces of garbage.
Scheme for cleaning sewers with chemicals
The use of liquid substances will greatly speed up the sewer cleaning process, because the liquid spreads through the pipes faster and envelops and then breaks down the debris. Bulk mixtures only partially fall on fatty plaques in the pipe. Therefore, they are not as effective as liquid products.
It does not matter who produced the goods, because the production of caustic soda is established in any country on the planet
One has only to pay attention to which pipes can be cleaned with this drug.
For plastic and metal pipes, different types of mixtures and liquids are suitable. The different price of these drugs does not matter. The amount of caustic soda is the same everywhere. The use of these tools requires certain safety precautions.
Cleaning the sewer should take place only in a respirator and rubber gloves. Contact with exposed skin can cause thermal burns, therefore, in order to avoid injury, safety measures must be observed. It should be noted that these funds are used not only in a critical case, when the elimination of blockage is already mandatory, but also for preventive actions. Using these tools at least once a week, you can completely prevent the appearance of plaque in the pipes and not think about how to clean the sewer.
Release form of cleaning chemicals
The chemical method of cleaning the sewer consists in the use of special preparations that corrode dirt, grease and help to remove them from the pipes. Manufacturers of household chemicals offer drugs that are available in different forms.
- Loose. The sewer pipe cleaner is packaged in plastic bags with special protection. They usually contain strong ingredients. If you violate safety rules, you can harm your health. The contents of the sachet are used at one time. For prevention, it is recommended to clean the pipes with such preparations once every six months.
- Liquid for sewer pipes. Funds are available in plastic containers. They are intended for reusable use unlike granular preparations. In most cases, the main active ingredient in the liquid is acid. Also, the composition may include various bleaching and antiseptic substances.
Chemical sewer cleaning
Liquids act faster than bulk preparations, but they are much more expensive. Before you buy a product for cleaning sewer pipes, it is recommended to study its composition and instructions for use.
Cleaning the sewer in a private house with a plunger
This is one of the simplest and most commonly used ways to clean the sewers in a private house.
It doesn't matter how old the device is. Plungers work properly, both old and new
After removing all the filtering and debris-stopping dampers, you can start cleaning the sewer pipes in a private house. The first thing to do is to plug the hole under the tap with a special plug.
Sewer cleaning scheme with a plunger and a mechanical cable
The second hole, where the wastewater is directly drained, must be covered with a plunger and filled with water into the sink. The level is above the plate (gum) of the plunger.Having pressed several times on the handrail of the plunger, it is necessary to create a vacuum that moves the water through the pipe.
The vacuum, acting on the debris and dirt accumulated in the sewer pipes, will push all the waste and help the sewage move through the pipe. But this will only happen if the blockages are minor. Several vacuum movements need to be done. If the water began to drain into the pipe in a normal stream, then the blockage and its cause have been eliminated. Otherwise, the following methods can be applied.
Causes of blockage in the sewer
In order to qualitatively eliminate the malfunction of the sewer system, first of all, you need to know how it functions and what can cause blockages.
The main elements of the wastewater disposal system are sewer pipelines that connect sanitary facilities with a main riser (in an apartment building) or with a sewage collection and treatment system (in a private household). This piping system is not a straight line, but includes bends and connectors where the normal flow of waste water slows down.
Clogged toilet - photo
As the service life, sewer pipes, especially those made of cast iron, become overgrown on the internal surfaces with a corrosive coating, which inhibits the normal flow of water and accumulates debris suspended in wastewater. Day after day, such a small growth can turn into a full-fledged blockage.
Serious blockage in sewer pipes - photo
Please note that when designing a sewer system on your own, it is necessary to calculate its configuration so that there is more or less free access to the most vulnerable places of sewage pipelines. So, in particular, when installing an external sewer system in private households, it is necessary to provide for the construction of inspection hatches or wells in all places where the street pipe makes a sharp turn.
If there is any large element in the wastewater stream, for example, a rag accidentally thrown into the toilet bowl, this element can catch on the unevenness of the inner surface of the sewer. After a short time, it becomes overgrown with smaller particles and blocks the normal flow of the runoff.
Cast iron pipes are the most susceptible to clogging
In addition, blockage in the sewer can also occur after substances enter the pipes that change their properties under the influence of the cold temperature of the effluents. A classic example is cold fat from the kitchen sink or dishwasher. Upon contact with cold drains, it solidifies, forming growths on the inner surface of the pipes. Gradually, such an outgrowth can completely block the sewer section.
What to do if the toilet is clogged the main manifestations of the problem
Such an unpleasant situation can arise if:
- an unpleasant smell arose in the toilet - this is the first sign of a problematic patency of the riser, which equalizes the pressure in the sewer pipes;
- if muddy water began to appear in the toilet bowl after draining, this means that the hydraulic seal is clogged, there is a high probability of one or more foreign objects getting there;
- water from the tank began to drain into the hole too slowly - during the descent, the bowl is not completely filled and leaves slowly through the pipes. This may indicate that the patency of the sewer pipes is impaired, and a salt and fecal plug has appeared in them.
If you have such a plug in the toilet, you need to do the following:
1) open the head of the fan pipe;
2) dismantle the cover of the lower revision of the riser;
3) block the pipe under the revision with a special plug, which is inserted through the hole freed from the cover;
4) break through the fan riser with a chimney brush or plumbing cable;
5) remove the remaining rubbish from the revision;
6) to restore the tightness of the system, you need to get the plug and tighten the revision cover;
7) put back the head of the riser.
If there is no fan riser, a check valve will need to be installed in the system, which will bleed the plug from the air during the descent of water. If there is no valve, then the water will leave through the pipes for much longer, which will accelerate the formation of deposits, which will reduce the throughput diameter of the reinforcement every day.
What causes sewer blockage in a private house
Even the use of tools such as filter plugs and grates does not guarantee that the drain pipes in a private house will not become clogged. If all the debris is filtered out in the pipes, then grease and oil drops that are washed off the surface of the dishes accumulate on the inner surfaces of the pipes. These particles form a kind of plaques that completely clog the pipe and eventually form blood clots in the sewer pipes.
Sewer blockage scheme
Further draining will be very difficult, or the sewage will stop completely draining into the pit, because if hairs and various debris get in, the fat delays the passage of this dirt in the pipe. The cause of clogged pipes in a private house may be the ingress of some object. But more often it is a blockage, which is formed by organic and inorganic waste products of people's life processes. There are three ways to get out of the situation:
- chemical cleaning, using preparations that contain caustic soda;
- mechanical cleaning, using special tools that are designed for cleaning sewers;
- hydrodynamic cleaning, that is, cleaning the sewer, using high pressure.
Whatever the sewerage system in a private house: plastic or metal, the first step is to disassemble the siphons that are below the sink. And you need to do this in the kitchen and in the bathroom. The bathroom has two siphons. One under the sink and directly under the container where people wash. The siphon is designed to prevent the “aromas” of sewage from the sewer pipe from entering the house.
It acts as a barrier in which debris and fat deposits are immediately deposited. The siphon must be thoroughly washed and reconnected to the pipe. Rinsing with boiling water and soda can only help if the blockage occurs only in the siphon. The alkaline solution breaks down well and washes off the fat layer. For 3 liters of warm water, you need to take 4 tablespoons of soda.
After pouring the solution into the hole, add half a bottle of vinegar there. The sizzling foam will quickly eliminate all debris and corrode all the grease on the walls of the pipes.
If these methods did not help, then it is necessary to move on to more significant methods.
Hydrodynamic cleaning method
What to do if the sewerage in a private house is clogged, and there is no way to call the master? All plumbers recommend cleaning pipes with the help of special devices - hydromechanical devices, high pressure pumps, home car washes. They allow you to remove gaps of any complexity. They are recommended to be used for pipelines whose diameter does not exceed 30 cm. Special nozzles are also additionally used to clean the sewer. They allow you to carry out all the work more efficiently, taking into account the individual characteristics of the existing system.
Hydrodynamic cleaning of sewer pipes
How to clean the pipeline in this case? The principle of operation of the equipment is simple - a flushing head of the apparatus is sent to the drain of problematic plumbing, which supplies water under high pressure. In this way, even the most dense blockages are pierced, which is difficult to achieve in other ways.If it is not possible to use a special hydro-mechanical installation, you can use a regular garden hose. It is connected to the sewer and pumped with water.
The disadvantage of this method is the complexity of its implementation. To eliminate sewer blockages, partial disassembly of the system is required, which is not always comfortable.
Mechanical and hydrodynamic cleaning method
If all the above methods do not help, mechanical intervention is necessary. Cleaning with spirals, cables, drills and loops. The use of these mechanical devices will leave no chance for debris or plaques. They push through all the blood clots in the pipes that prevent the sewage from draining. In appearance, all these tools are different, but the principle of operation is the same - they destroy all accumulations of garbage. They are freely available and are not very expensive.
Those devices that have a higher price are no different from cheap tools, so you can safely buy the cheapest tool and not worry that it will not help. In the case of a large solid object stuck in the sewer pipe, a hook can be used. Cables and spirals pass through debris and accumulations without obstacles and efforts, one has only to rotate the handle clockwise, thereby winding stuck objects onto the wire.
Scheme of hydrodynamic sewer cleaning
Then just pull out this wire along with the debris. The cable can be changed by tension. In this case, the cable becomes elastic, which leads to the complete destruction of the accumulated stagnation of debris. Since cleaning sewer pipes with your own hands is not a very clean job, you should prepare an oilcloth in advance by laying it on the place where the work will be carried out. And also do not wear clean clothes, because splashing dirty water is also unavoidable.
For hydrodynamic cleaning of sewer pipes in a private house, a special device is used that runs on gasoline. This increases the water pressure in the hose. The process begins with the installation of the hose in the sewer pipe. Then it is connected to the compressor system. The water turns on at the same time as the compressor. The jet, which is supplied under pressure, breaks the garbage plug and pushes through.
Even if it is impossible to purchase such an installation, there is a way out. People who live in their homes always have hoses and a garden pump available. Having connected a hose to this pump, you need to insert it into the sewer pipe and turn on the water so that the pressure is strong. You can first pour a liquid agent containing caustic soda into the pipes. After half an hour, use water under pressure.
If there is an autonomous sewage system, you need to pay attention to how strong the water pressure is and to the chemical components of the cleaning products. Therefore, with such a sewerage system in a private house, it is better to clean it with mechanical devices.
