Unclog Main Sewer Line

Welcome back to Happi Plumbing Channel. Today’s case sharing is about main sewer line back up.

Customer concerns. The main sewer line was completely blocked. Sewage was backing up into the house, and wastewater was overflowing everywhere.

The homeowner had already called another plumber yesterday. They spent hours trying to clear the blockage but couldn’t get it open. That’s when they called Happi Plumbing.

Let’s see how we got the job done with big sewer machine.

We kept using the grease cutter that we had used the day before on a restaurant drain.

At about 30 feet, we hit some resistance, but it broke through pretty easily.

Then, at around 76 feet, we ran into a major blockage. We knew this was likely the main obstruction.We kept putting pressure on the cable and let the cutter head do its job. After several passes, the blockage finally gave way.

Watching all that backed-up water rush down the drain was an incredibly satisfying moment!

We had the homeowner turn on the hot water to help flush the line while we slowly reeled the cable back in.

When we pulled the cutter head out, it was covered with chopped-up tree roots and a large amount of wet wipes. The roots had clearly invaded the sewer pipe.

A quick reminder: only flush toilet paper. Never flush wet wipes, paper towels, facial tissues, tampons, or other hygiene products. Even products labeled “flushable” can cause serious sewer problems.

Next, we inspected the sewer line with our sewer camera to find the root cause of the blockage and determine the best long-term solution.

The camera stopped at about 30 feet, so we couldn’t inspect the city side of the sewer line. Since the tree roots were located around 76 feet, we wasn’t able to capture that section with the camera.

Even so, the camera footage gave us a much clearer view of the condition of the pipe.

Using my pipe locator, I marked the best location for installing a street cleanout.

Installing a street cleanout at the 30-foot mark will save the homeowner money in the future. If the sewer line becomes blocked again, they can simply call 311, and the city can clear the blockage at no charge. If the problem is on the city’s side, they can also schedule a future repair to excavate and replace the damaged section of pipe.

Without a street cleanout, every future blockage caused by the growing tree roots would require the homeowner to pay out of pocket for another drain cleaning.

Finally, I cleaned up the work area and packed up my equipment.

The sewer was flowing again, the family could finally use their toilets and take showers, and their little kid was so excited that he immediately started jumping on the trampoline.

Another happy customer, and another sewer line brought back to life by Happi Plumbing.