Sewer Line - How To Unclog Main

He turned the water on slowly. The bladder expanded, sealing the pipe, and then shot high-pressure jets of water forward into the clog. He let it run for a few minutes, hoping the water pressure would blast through the sludge.

Older homes with clay or orangeburg pipes are prone to structural failure. how to unclog main sewer line

He closed his eyes. Somewhere under the street, the city main flowed on, indifferent and vast. And Leo’s house was once again a clean, bright vessel, floating above the darkness—until next time. He turned the water on slowly

Leo was stubborn. He found a 3 a.m. hardware store that rented tools. He drove, bought a 75-foot electric auger with a ½-inch cable and a spiral cutting head. The clerk gave him one piece of advice: “Run the cable slow. If you hit a sharp bend, you’ll punch through the pipe. Then you’re digging.” Older homes with clay or orangeburg pipes are

Mark didn't panic. Well, he panicked a little, but he moved quickly. He knew that flushing the toilet or running the sink would only force sewage back into the house. He shut off the main water supply to the house immediately.

He grabbed a flashlight and headed to the basement. Snaking out from the concrete floor was a thick, white PVC pipe with a black, rubber cap held tight by a steel band. This was the .

He stood in rubber boots, phone in one hand, flashlight in the other. The smell was a wet, ancient thing. His wife, Mara, called down from the top of the stairs, “The toilet upstairs is gurgling.”