Efficient indoor plumbing is one of life’s luxuries that too often gets taken for granted. Usually it isn’t until the plumbing stops working properly that most homeowners realize what a benefit it is to have an effective plumbing system. That’s the point when it’s time to hire a licensed plumber for drain cleaning & sewer cleaning.

A sewer drain carries wastewater and solids out to the city or county waste lines or to a septic tank. When this line gets blocked, nothing in the house will drain properly— sinks, showers, tubs, dishwashers, washing machines or toilets.

What’s more, unclogging a sewer is one of the messier repair jobs around the house. It’s no wonder that smart homeowners call in a licensed plumber when it’s time for drain cleaning in Memphis.

After all, consider the amount of effort it takes. First, for effective for sewer cleaning , it’s necessary to locate the sewer drain access hatches. These hatches have circular covers measuring about 4 inches across, with an attachment that’s either square or hexagonal (six-sided) in shape. This attachment is made for a wrench to open the cover.

Often a special tool known as a plumber’s wrench is required for this job. The wrench is latched onto the attachment and turned counterclockwise to open the cover.

The drain cleaning continues by opening the access cover nearest to the house. It’s wise to put a 5-gallon bucket under the cleanout pipe to catch anything that has backed up. (Those do-it-yourselfers who forget this step are often doused with some very nasty stuff!). Then it’s time to insert another special tool known as a sewer “snake.”

These machines come in manual and electric versions that do-it- yourselfers can rent or purchased from a home improvement center. The snake must be set up next to the access pipe and then fed into the hole. Electric snakes need to be turned on, and some have a foot pedal to control the speed of the forward motion as the device is hand-fed into the hole.

The forward motion should be stopped when the snake encounters an obstruction. Then it must be reversed to pull back about a foot, and then fed forward again slowly. This back-and-forth process is repeated until the snake is able to get freely and easily past the blockage. It’s easy to cause damage using a snake for drainage and sewer cleaning in Memphis if you don’t know how to do it properly.

At this point, the snake is stopped and the repair effort moves to the access cover closest to the street. Once again the cover is opened using a wrench turned counterclockwise. Then someone inside the house must run some water down a drain or flush a toilet while the repairer shines a light down the sewer to see if the water is running past. If it isn’t, it’s back to the cleanout pipe for another session with the snake. Anyone tired of this project yet?

For a job as tough and messy as drain and sewer cleaning in Memphis, do yourself a favor and hire a licensed Memphis plumbing contractor by calling (901) 282-6989.