A clogged sewer drain is no picnic. Chemical drain cleaners can be effective, but they emit harsh fumes and can actually damage your plumbing if not used properly. Here’s a quick guide to help you with drain cleaning without the use of chemicals.

Understand The System

The most important part of clearing a blocked sewer drain is identifying which part of the drainage system is clogged. Inside your home, there are several small waste removal pipes that feed directly into the larger main sewer line. This main line takes waste water out of your house and deposits it into your septic tank or municipal sewer. Most homes have a line that carries waste from the kitchen sink and toilets and a line that carries waste from showers, tubs and bathroom sinks.

Clearing a Slow Drain

If you’re dealing with a slow-moving drain, it’s likely that whatever is blocking the pipe is caught in the drain trap or trap arm. Remove the trap arm if you can and thoroughly clean out any debris or clogs. If that doesn’t work, check the main line plug or cap. You may need to use a plumbing snake if the blockage isn’t immediately visible. Run cold water into the line as you snake; this will help break up clogs and wash away dirt and pipe residue.

Bathtub and Shower Clogs

Most drainage problems in the bathroom are caused by hair, soap and shampoo that get stuck in the plumbing and form clogs. A good way to remove a stubborn bathroom clog is to use a device called a drain stick. It’s a long plastic stick that has either a small comb or a spiked tip at the end. The barbs help snag hair and other debris inside the pipes so you can pull them out easily. Just remove the drain cap, put the stick into the drain and twist a few times. Pull back slowly, and the clog should come right out.

Serious Drain Blockage

A substantial clog may require professional help or even a sewer line replacement. However, sewer jet blasting can be a very effective way for drain cleaning, no matter where the blockage is. Basically, a strong spray of pressurized water is pumped through your home’s plumbing, breaking up clogs and leaving pipes flowing freely. After a sewer jet blasting, ask your plumber to perform a hydrostatic line test, which will detect weak spots, cracks or leaks in the pipes.

Keep Clogs From Coming Back

Prevention is definitely the best medicine when it comes to drainage problems at home. To keep your drains clean without harsh chemicals, use a simple baking soda and vinegar solution. Once a month, pour a cup of baking soda down each drain in your home, followed by a cup of white vinegar. Let the solution sit for about an hour, and then flush with warm water. The baking soda reacts with the vinegar to create a foam that will remove most residue from tubs, showers, and sinks.

If you have always lived in a home with a sewer system,,moving to a house with a septic tank can involve making some changes to how you do things around the house. Septic systems are very effective at managing household waste, but they are more sensitive than sewer systems, and require different care and precautions if you want to avoid a smelly mess. Use the following tips to learn about the Do’s and Don’ts of living with with a septic tank:

Don’t Flush Items Down the Toilet

When you have a septic system, you have to be very mindful of what goes down the toilet. Avoid flushing baby wipes, paper towels, feminine hygiene products, and paper towels, as these items can cause damage to your septic tank. It is also a good idea to select your toilet paper carefully; your best bet is to purchase a brand that is marked as being safe for septic systems.

Do Conserve Water

The less waste water that enters your septic system, the better. Try to avoid frequent long showers and running the water while brushing teeth or washing dishes. It is best to only do laundry when you have a full load; you may also want to consider having the grey water from your washing machine diverted outdoors so it does not enter your septic tank.

Do Have Your Septic System Professionally Inspected and Pumped

Regular inspections by a professional will ensure that your septic system is working properly, and it will also give you an idea of how full your septic tank is. The last thing you want is for your septic tank to over flow- it can create a truly disgusting mess that is unsanitary and expensive to have cleaned up properly. The frequency in which your tank will need to be pumped will depend on its size and the number of people living in the home; your septic system inspector can tell you when you should schedule a septic tank pumping service. If you are planning to move into a house with a septic tank in the near future, make sure that you have the septic system fully inspected when the home inspection is conducted.

Don’t Dispose of Household Chemicals Down Your Drains

Septic systems rely on having a precise balance of bacteria to help break down waste and keep the system functioning properly. Adding common household chemicals to the system can upset the balance and cause serious problems. Try your best to avoid having all-purpose cleaners, bleach, or other types of detergents go down the drain of your sinks.

Experts recommend having residential septic tanks pumped every three to five years to prevent issues. While septic tank pumping services are not overly pricey, if you’re watching your budget, you’ll want to make sure you’re not having your septic tank pumped more often than is really needed. Here are three ways to decrease the buildup of debris, grease, and other non-degradable grime in your septic tank, so you can more safely wait five, rather than three, years between pumping appointments.

Don’t use your garbage disposal.

Yes, it might be convenient, but your garbage disposal is your septic system’s worst nightmare. By sending endless food scraps into your septic tank, you are greatly increasing the amount of debris that builds up in it. Some sources even recommend pumping your tank every year if you use a garbage disposal — it makes that big of a difference.

Only flush toilet paper down your toilet.

A lot of toiletry items, such as wet wipes and tampons, say they are safe to flush. This might be the case if you don’t mind having your septic tank pumped often. If you’re trying to extend the time between pumping appointments, however, you’re best off flushing nothing but toilet paper. Toilet paper breaks down quickly and works its way into your septic leach field. All of those other “flushable” items just build up in the tank, reducing its volume until they’re pumped out.

Don’t rinse bleach or other harsh cleaners down your drain.

Bacteria in your septic tank are responsible for breaking down the waste so it can rinse out into the leach field in your yard. Chemicals like bleach and ammonia can reduce the populations of these bacteria, which makes it take longer for this waste to break down. Keep your bacteria healthy by using green, eco-friendly cleaning products like vinegar and baking soda. Your waste will build up more slowly in the tank, so you can safely wait longer between pumping sessions without worrying about overflows.

Remember that even when you follow the tips above, it’s important to have your tank pumped regularly. Never pumping your tank at all is a mistake that will likely lead to a flooded yard, a broken tank, or dangerous bacterial levels on your property. Keep in touch with Ace Sanitation so you can call us if there is ever a problem with your tank.

If you have recently moved into a home that utilizes a septic tank, then there are a few things you need to know in order to keep your septic system maintained in good working condition. Although septic systems can require repairs, most of the time this happens because of careless behavior by the residents of the house. The following are a few tips that will keep your septic tank in good working order.

Be careful what you flush down your toilet

In fact, you should never flush anything down the toilet except natural waste and toilet paper. If you are accustomed to having your main drain line connected to a city sewer system, you will not likely appreciate how sensitive a septic system can be. Once something passes through your toilet, it can still clog up your septic system. Avoid flushing even small items that do not degrade to a liquid quickly.

Do not use a garbage disposal

If you’re like many people, the first time you move into a home with a septic system, you may notice that there is no garbage disposal in the kitchen. This is because a garbage disposal sends solid waste into the sewer system, and you want as few solids in your septic system as possible. If by chance there is already one in your kitchen, do not use it. You can start a compost pile in your yard. This is economical and helps the environment. Garbage disposals are more trouble than they are worth to a septic system owner.

Do not drain chlorinated water into your septic system

This not only applies to your septic tank but your drainfield as well. The chlorine in water will kill the bacteria that exist throughout your septic system, causing a health issue for you and others in your household. When draining your pool, hot tub or other chlorinated water source, let the water flow away from the septic drainfield.

Keep your water usage down

Heavy water use puts a lot of strain on your septic system, so the less water you use, the longer your septic tank will likely last before needing any repairs. In addition, your septic system can only handle a certain amount of water at any given time. It is a good idea to avoid using the dishwasher at the same time you are using your washing machine. The more water you use, the sooner you will need your septic tank pumped.

Of course, every septic tank needs to be pumped sooner or later, but by using the tips listed above, you can minimize the number of times pumping is needed for your particular make and model, as well as keep repair costs down.

Every homeowner has a responsibility to keep their septic tank empty. Many homeowners have no idea what a septic tank needs until a problem arises. The amount of people using the plumbing determines how often the septic tank should be pumped. In general, homeowners should have a plumber do their septic tank pumping about every 3 to 5 years in order to keep it working properly. The more people in the home, the more often it will have to be pumped. By watching the warning signs, you can quickly tell when your septic system needs to be pumped. For many homeowners, this will generally cost you around $75 to $200, depending on how big your tank is.

Odor

One of the easiest ways to tell if your septic tank is full is by the odor it emits. Because the septic tank houses all your water from the kitchens to the bathrooms, much of it is waste from the toilet. Generally, when the tank starts to get full, you will begin to notice a foul smelling order around the drain field. This can mean that the septic tank is full and needs to be emptied.

Excessive Nitrates

Another way to tell if your septic tank is full is by testing your well water. This should be done periodically to make sure your water is healthy. As the septic tank fills up, it can leak into the surrounding soil. Nitrates will run through your ground water and contaminate it, polluting your potable water. By testing the well water for nitrates, you can determine if your tank is full.

Backed Up Sewage

One of the worst signs telling you your septic tank is full is when you see sewage coming up through your drains. The sewage is typically black, sludgy, and not pleasant to see. When you start to see black liquid coming up through any of your drains, this is a good sign there is a problem with your septic tank. Typically, it just needs to be emptied, but at times it could mean there is a bigger problem.

Slow Drains

A slow drain can be a hassle when you are trying to get things done. First, you want to try drain cleaning products to see if there is a clog. If this does not help, it could mean that your septic tank is full. This can be remedied by having Ace Sanitation Service come out and inspect it for you.