Clogs in your home’s drainpipes are one of the natural outcomes of the drain’s waste disposal functions. When wastewater from your home’s plumbing fixtures flows into the main sewer line, some solid and semi-solid contents of the wastewater is bound to be deposited in the pipes.
But these deposits do not have to result in plumbing issues like, slow drains in your house, sewer line blockages or a sewer backup. These plumbing problems are often the result of failing to take the proper steps to remove the debris inside your home’s drains and main sewer line.
The point is that; buildup inside drainpipes is inevitable, but allowing it to cause major plumbing issues in your home is completely avoidable. To stop clogs from growing into major problems that can damage your home, Pro X Bentonville Property Management advises you need a sewer rodding service to clean your drainpipes at least once a year.
What is sewer rodding?
Sewer rodding is a method for removing clogs and other restrictions from drainpipes and sewer lines. Because it utilizes a flexible metal rod as the central tool for accessing the clogs and blockages inside your pipes, it is called sewer rodding.
Sewer rodding equipment comprises a sewer rodding machine, cutting heads of various sizes and a flexible metal rod that is wound around a drum. The metal rods can also come in sections coupled to make them as long as needed.
During a sewer rodding service, the cutting head is fixed to the end of the rod, inserted into the sewer line and pushed deep inside the line by the rodding machine. All the time this is happening, the cutting head spins to cut through any debris inside the pipes.
Sewer rodding is the most effective method for cleaning drains and sewer lines because:
- It is effective for clearing all kinds of buildup, including tree roots, sludge and heavy paper buildup.
- It is not a complicated process; an outside cleanout is all that is needed to access the sewer line.
- The flexible metal rod used in sewer rodding can go around the bends in the sewer line to ensure thorough cleaning.
- This process can be completed in a few hours with minimal disruption to your lifestyle and no damage to landscaping.
What are the signs that you may need a sewer rodding service?
Slow drains
If several drains inside your home are slow at the same time, the problem is not from any of the individual drains in the house but from your sewer line. A clogged sewer line will cause all the drains in your home to start acting up at the same time.
Sewage smells
Sewage gases will not travel backwards through the sewer line into your home unless there is a buildup inside the sewer line that is preventing the gases from escaping into the city sewers. If you have frequent issues with the lingering smell of sewage inside or outside your home, it is a sign that you need sewer rodding.
Irregular toilet water levels
Fluctuations in the water level inside a toilet bowl indicate a problem in your sewer line. Due to changes in air pressure within the sewer line, your toilet may have too much or too little water. If you are seeing this problem in your home, you need to have your sewer line inspected and cleaned.
Gurgling toilet
Gurgling sounds from your toilet are a sign of sewer line blockage. Your toilet gurgles because air is trapped inside the sewer line and cannot escape into the municipal sewer. Every time you flush your toilet, the inrushing water displaces this air, forcing it to find a way out through the toilet bowl.
Reactions in toilet water level
If the water inside your toilet bowl moves every time you use one of the drains or water-utilizing appliances in the home, you may have a clogged sewer line that needs cleaning. Increased air pressure within the sewer line as a result of water entering it from a sink or appliance causes the water inside the toilet bowl to move.
A green patch of lawn
If a section of your outdoors has greener grass than the rest of the lawn, it could be because that portion of grass is being fed by nutrient-laden water from a leaking sewer line. The likelihood of this is greater if that patch of lawn is located directly above the position of your underground sewer line.
Increases in pest populations
A noticeable increase in the number of insects, reptiles and rodents in your yard could mean that those pests are being attracted to leaks from a blocked sewer line. Vermin only invade a home if food is abundant on the property.
What should you do if you see one or more of these signs in your home? You should have a local plumber inspect your plumbing system and schedule sewer rodding.