Does your home have a clog in your residential sewer line and you need to figure out how to clean it out on your own? These tips will help you get the job done with a sewer snake

Get The Right Tools

The secret to cleaning a residential sewer line is to use a sewer snake, which will help cut through the clogs that are preventing the water from flowing into the sewer. Thankfully, you don't have to buy a sewer snake since many home improvement stores rent them out to their customers. If you find yourself needing to snake your sewer line frequently, then this may be something that you want to invest in to save money over the years.

Locate The Cleanout

Your home should have a drain cleanout that allows you to get the sewer snake into the sewer line and do its job. However, the sewer line may be located inside or outside the home. If it's inside the home, the cleanout should look like a Y-shaped piece of pipe that comes out from the side of the main drain going to your sewer. If the cleanout is located outside of your home, there will be a cap in the ground that gives you access to the sewer line.

Be Aware Of Overflowing Water

One thing to keep in mind when opening the cap to a sewer cleanout in your home is how high the water is clogged. If the sink in your first-floor kitchen is not draining and the sewer cleanout is located in your basement, removing the cap may cause water to start overflowing into your basement until water levels get below the cleanout.

Use The Sewer Snake

The process of using a sewer snake will go slowly and gradually. You use the foot pedal to turn the snake on and allow the drum to spin, while you use gloved hands to pull the cable out of the snake. Slowly work the cable into the drain that has a spinning blade on the end of it. When it reaches the clog, you'll likely need to use a back-and-forth motion to slowly cut away at the clog. You may need to change blades on the end of the cable if you find that you are not making progress since switching to a bigger blade can help remove the clog. 

Finish by running clean water into the drain to see if it continues to back up. If the water level doesn't rise, you know you got through the entire clog. 

Contact a residential sewer cleaning service to learn more.

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