A short guide to options in the event of a sewer backup

If your toilets and drains start to back up, it's time to call a sewer cleaner to unclog them. Here's everything you need to know about your different options.

If you have foul smells of sewage leaking from your drains and building up in your home, your sewer pipes are most likely failing to drain effectively into the main. These lifts can cause serious damage to property, not to mention the obvious health risks. Yet most people never think about cleaning their sewer lines.

Three warning signs
It is a fact that many sewer lines in Quebec are old. Years of wastewater has been recklessly circulated through these pipes, so it's no wonder that many show reduced flow. Signs that your sewer lines may be blocked with debris include:

Backflow of water through drains in your home;
A gurgling sound coming from your drains;
Slowly draining sinks, tubs, etc.
If, while operating your dishwasher or washer, you notice that water is collecting at the drain in your basement, you probably have an obstruction in your sewer lines.
What is blocking my sewer lines?
What kind of debris is usually found? Well, besides the organic substances you would expect to find in sewer pipes,Plumbers Bristol find:

Tree roots blocking or damaging pipes;
Non-biodegradable waste (baby wipes, diapers, paper towels, feminine hygiene products);
Oil and fat used for cooking.
What to do if you detect a sewer blockage
If your drains start to back up into your home, action should be taken immediately. Plumbers suggest the following:

Avoid using the facilities;
Turn off the water;
Remove the rubber stopper from the cleaning hose in your yard;
Call a professional sewer cleaner (a plumber).
The plumber: an ally
It is important to get professional help when you realize that you may have a blocked or damaged sewer line.

A sewer line cleaning professional has all the necessary equipment to clean a sewer line and is specially trained to use this equipment.
If the pipe is broken or has collapsed, a professional sewer line cleaner may also install new pipes.
The latest technology
You might be surprised at the technology that applies to cleaning sewer lines.

First, the technician may suggest a video inspection, but it is usually cheaper to use a suction cup unblocker first.
If this simple, inexpensive method doesn't clean the pipe, then a video inspection can determine exactly where the blockage is - without disturbing the ground above.
Pipe burst technique
Another reasonably new technology is pipe bursting, or trenchless pipe replacement.

If a video inspection shows that tree roots have entered the sewer pipes, or the pipes are corroded or have collapsed, this method of pipe replacement won't require digging your yard or breaking your driveway.
Hydrojet cleaning
Finally, consider the hydrojet. By pumping high pressure water through your lines, a technician can safely scrub them without chemicals, removing not only debris but also years of sand, silt and grease build-up.

This alternative to disgorging with a ferret is quick, affordable and environmentally friendly, and is an excellent maintenance tool.
Once your pipes are unblocked, experts recommend protecting yourself against backflow from sewer lines by filling your sinks with water every month and then letting the water drain, which could unblock the pipes.
A Quick Guide to Trenchless Pipe Repair
Nothing is worse than repairing or replacing a household sewer pipe. But with the replacement of trenchless pipes, your landscaping will not suffer.

Even if it is a rather unappealing subject, the rupture of sewer lines is an inevitable factor in the towns and villages of Quebec. Sewer pipes carrying sewage from your home to the main sewer line can back up in a number of circumstances, but it is possible to learn how to anticipate it with a little help from this guide.

Where do the blockages come from!
Just in case you're curious, the most common causes of backflow are poorly draining toilets, clogged sinks, and poorly draining tubs. But what's behind these unwanted obstructions:

Non-biodegradable wipes (baby wipes)
Children's toys  ;
Hair  ;
Underwear  ;
Paper towels  ;
Rags  ;
Accumulations of fat ;
Etc.
And then there are the roots which can also be responsible for cracks, holes in your sewer lines.

A small intrusion is usually treated with herbicide, but a sewer pipe filled with roots will likely require repair or replacement of a pipe.
Trenchless repair
Is replacing these pipes a major upheaval for your garden and your landscaping?

Not with trenchless pipe replacement, a relatively new technology that allows contractors to completely replace damaged pipes without disturbing the area of soil above more than eight inches or one foot.
How does it work?
Sometimes referred to as “no dig” pipe repair, trenchless technology works almost entirely underground.

A cable with a "burst head" is threaded through the damaged sewer pipe with the new piping attached.
As the burst head is pulled through the old pipe by a hydraulic system, the new pipe follows behind, breaking, opening and replacing the damaged pipe.
The new pipe is then pulled through a small outlet hole and connected to your home's sewer system.
It's clean, tidy and cheaper
Repairing or replacing trenchless pipes is generally less expensive than the more traditional method.
Besides, as it involves digging in the ground, and it only takes a day or two to complete this work.

Another advantage of this technique? The type of pipe in use today has a life expectancy of around 200 years, so you probably won't need to do this anytime soon!