Tag Archives: blocked sewer

15
Jan
2020

Do you have a blocked drain that needs to be cleared? Are you looking for a professional drain camera inspection service?

If so, then it’s important that you keep reading below.

Drain camera inspection services come in handy when the sewer system unexpectedly malfunctions at home.

Unless the professional plumbing service can see what the problem is, they cannot come up with the right solution to fix the problem.

That’s where drain camera inspection comes in handy. With this in mind, let’s take a look at the following:

What Is A Drain Camera Inspection?
How To Perform A Drain Camera Inspection?
Do You Need To Be Licensed To Perform A Drain Camera Inspection?

What Is A Drain Camera Inspection?

A pipeline camera inspection is important if a homeowner has constant backups, root intrusions, and blockages.

When you have a sewer line under the ground, you cannot tell the actual condition of the system unless you dig up the area.

Leaving sewer backup problems unchecked can cause major damage to your home. That’s where pipeline inspection is imperative.

This service will also help to get an accurate estimate for repairs or epoxy drain lining needs.

A drain camera inspection will offer an in-depth view of the drain lines in your home.

It will show areas of deterioration, low spots, breaks, cracks, root intrusions or other possible problems that may restrict the flow.

It may save you time and money by showing that all you require is a good cleaning – which could be easily accomplished by hydro jetting.

That’s why you need to rely on a professional drain camera inspection service when you have a sewer blockage in your home.

How To Perform A Drain Camera Inspection?

Drain camera inspection should be performed by a professional who has extensive experience in the industry.

The first step of the process is finding access. Access could be through roof vents, toilet flanges or cleanouts.

The professional will perform a visual inspection of your property looking for an appropriate access point.

Most of the time, cleanouts could be buried underground and need to be identified via pipeline inspection cameras.

Every home should have a proper plumbers cleanout that is usually located at the end of the line. They are often located in garages.

During the camera inspection, the professional plumber will make sure that the proper footage counter is used and actively note any potential problems.

The professional will locate the exact footage to save repair costs in the process.

The plumbing technician will use the camera from different access points to fully view all the aspects of the drain line.

The camera inspection will specify the kind of pipe in the ground and whether a section of that pipe has been repaired or replaced at any point in time.

Do You Need To Be Licensed To Perform A Drain Camera Inspection?

Camera inspections are better performed by licensed plumbing contractor – especially when there is an issue with the sewer system on the city side.

Such a contractor needs to submit a “plumbers report” for the city officials to investigate and perform the necessary repairs.

You should always rely on a drain inspection service instead of a regular plumbing service for the job.

They are the best people to identify the issue and recommend appropriate repairs.

With a host of drain inspection services operating in Melbourne, finding the right service provider isn’t easy.

There are many factors to look for when choosing the best drain camera inspection service.

If you are looking for a trustworthy and reliable plumbing service in Melbourne, then look no further than Austest Pipeline Solutions.

We have more than 20 years’ experience in domestic, commercial, and industrial plumbing with water leak detection our speciality.

Please call us today for all your plumbing needs on 0410 609 961 or contact us here.

26
Oct
2019

Do you have trouble with tree roots growing in your sewer pipes? This is a very common problem that most people face, so let’s take a look now at what you can do if you’re experiencing this common blockage.

Trees not only beautify our surroundings, but they also serve as windbreakers and provide shade. On the other hand, trees and specifically their roots can wreak havoc within your plumbing system by clogging up your sewer line and causing your blocked drains to clog increasing further damage underground.

You might think that all the wastewater that evacuates from your home via the sewer line is toxic to plants. When faced with such a situation, many property owners will settle on DIY methods of removing the roots and unclogging the sewer line.

If you find yourself with a tree root clogged sewer line, you might ask yourself whether tree root killer is the answer for roots in sewer pipes.

How Tree Roots Find Their Way Into Sewer Line

The truth of the matter is, trees thrive on sewer water. The water is rich in the dissolved biological matter, which acts as nutrients.

And since the water swirls a lot as it moves in the sewer line, it well oxygenated. Moreover, the sewer effluent has plenty of water.

In a sense, the sewer water has everything the tree needs to thrive. As such, at any opportunity, tree roots will grow through any leaking spaces in the sewer line and clog it.

When the sewer line has a crack or the joints are leaking, the water that escapes the sewer line wet the soil. This will also attract tree roots, which traverses the ground up to moisten the soil. Eventually, the tree roots find their way into the sewer line through the cracks.

The tree roots continue to grow until they form a mesh-like structure that is better capable of trapping moisture and nutrients. At this point, they clog your sewer line entirely. This is when you will begin to notice that water does not flow efficiently down the drains. Left unchecked, the root structure will crack open the sewer line.

The Different Types Of Root Killers And How Each Type Works

Using Rock Salt – Salts in the form of rock salt, sodium chloride and copper sulphate are poisonous to tree roots. To use the salt, you need to pour about half a kilo of salt into a bucket of water and flush it down the toilet leading to the blocked line.

Repeat the process again to flush a total of about one kilo of salt down the drain. The next step is to avoid running water into the sewer line for 8 to 12 hours. During this time the salts will draw water from the tree roots and poison the roots until they die.

Roaming Root Killer – This type of product is a foaming substance that contains herbicide. The herbicide kills the root and prevents their regrowth.

The Effectiveness Of Root Killers

Root removal solutions are not the most effective solution as the roots will still grow after some time. It might take a couple of years, but if the cracks still exist, tree roots will find their way inside the pipe once again.

Additionally, when using root killers, you run the risk of killing the tree ultimately, which might create other hazards such as falling branches.

Contact us for help clearing your drains

Root killers are only a stop-gap solution to tree roots clogging your sewer line. Eventually, you need to unearth the sewer lines and repair the lines. You can only use root killer products for so long until you need to call on a water pipe leak service to repair or replace your sewer pipes.

If you suspect tree roots are growing in your drain pipes, give us a call or send through an online enquiry, we are ready to assist at Austest Pipeline Solutions. We provide a range of burst pipe detection services around Melbourne and surrounding areas.

28
Sep
2019

Do you have a toilet or bathroom that smells like sewer? This can be terribly embarrassing, especially when you have visitors. Let’s take a look below at what the causes of this might be.

Common Causes of Sewer Smells Inside Toilets

No matter how much the toilet is cleaned or what type of cleaning products and chemicals are used, there is still a foul odour coming from the toilet. In fact, it smells just like a sewer.

Unfortunately, no amount of cleaning is going to get rid of that nasty smell. There are however a number of different issues that could be the source of the smell. We cover these below:

Sewer gas returning from a vent pipe
A dry p-trap
Clogged or blocked drains
Sewerage seeping into the toilet
Damaged or broken wax seal

Some of these issues have simpler solutions than others. However, it is always recommended to call a plumber to diagnose a clogged sewer line and resolve a problem if you have a toilet that smells like a sewer.

1. Dry P-Trap

The p-trap is the curvy pipe behind the toilet that drains the water and effluent out of the toilet bowl. A toilet that is not used often or a p-trap that is leaking can dry out resulting in a bad smell. Simply flushing the toilet regularly can help resolve the problem in a toilet that is seldom used. However, if there is a leak or damage to the p-trap, call a plumber to replace or repair it.

2. Damaged Wax Seal

The wax seal is found on the drainage pipe and is there to prevent water and effluent from leaking out.

The seal is however quite fragile and likely to deteriorate or become damaged after a period of time. If this is the issue, it is best to contact a plumber to replace the wax.

3. Blockages

There are many different places where a blockage can occur in a toilet resulting in the smell of sewerage. A toilet that is draining slowly is a clear sign that there is a blockage.

However, even toilets that seem to be draining properly may have a small blockage that is resulting in a foul smell.

If you cannot resolve the blockage or the sewer smell remains, hire a plumber to find the blockage and expertly unclog the toilet.

4. Blocked Vent

Most people are unaware that a toilet has a vent stack that is there to filter out bad odours and sewer gas. This is because the vent stack is normally located inside the wall behind the toilet. A vent stack that is blocked will result in the sewer gas building up in the pipe and then flowing back into the toilet bowl. This is one of the most common reasons for a toilet or bathroom that smells like a sewer.

It can be tricky to unblock a vent stack and it is not recommended to do this without professional assistance from a plumber.

5. Sewerage Seepage

A toilet that is not functioning properly can allow sewerage to seep back into the drains of the toilet or even the toilet bowl. This sewerage contains bacteria that is responsible for creating that bad odour smell.

Even if you don’t notice the sewerage, bad bacteria may be present. Flushing the entire system with bleach should eliminate the problem. Pour concentrated bleach into the overflow pipe and the flushing valve and then flush the toilet to release it into the system. If this does not resolve the problem, call a plumber.

It can be difficult to determine which of the above-mentioned issues may be causing the toilet to smell like a sewer and it may take some trial and error to accurately identify and solve the problem.

Expert plumbers have the experience and the know-how to diagnose plumbing problems quickly and effectively as well as find the best solution for each problem.

Organise a Sewer Inspection

When you have a sewer emergency, work with a team you can rely on. If you’re experiencing a bad smell in your toilet or bathroom, Austest Pipeline Solutions are here to help. We have all the plumbing and sewer inspection equipment to help you whenever you need us.

For all sewer drain inspections with stubborn sewage smell, get in touch with Austest Popeline solutions today.