Features of the breakdown of fat in sewer pipes and pits

The content of the article:

Fat Hazard
Chemical cleaning methods
Mechanical cleaning methods
Prevention
Conclusion

Each person, regardless of whether he is a resident of a multi-storey building or the owner of a private home, at least once in his life, has faced a similar problem: a blockage in the sink, water does not leave or leaves, but slowly and almost imperceptibly. Congratulations, you have accumulated a lot of grease and dirt in the sewers! We will talk about the removal of it.

Sewerage is a complex structure, the installation and operation of which must comply with certain rules and regulations.

Fat Hazard

Every day we drain various types of waste into the sewer: dirt, hair, fat, chemicals. If the drain pipes of the sewer are not correctly installed, namely, the angle of the pipes is incorrect, the fat tends to accumulate, and at the exit we get a blockage. This also happens because the inside of the cast-iron pipe (if you have one) is rough. Because of this surface, during daily use of pipes on its inner side, fat deposits gradually accumulate, which then turn into a “greasy” blockage. To restore the normal functioning of the sewer system, it is necessary to rid the pipe of fat. This can be done even without disassembling the sewer.

Chemical cleaning methods

There are several effective methods for eliminating fat deposits on sewage pipes using chemicals. The most effective way to choose a tool that includes alkali in its composition. You can give preference to a granular product, so as not to study the composition of many products on the shelves of the store. It is important to remember that alkali can also dissolve soap residue, and it very often accumulates on the inner wall of the pipes.

The most effective means to eliminate fatty blockages:

Mole is a granular product at an affordable price. The convenience of its use is that it is packaged in packaging for single use.
The brand Mr. Muscle produces a product with a similar composition. The difference is only in the price range.
Funds from the manufacturer Pothan. These products can eliminate severe cases of blockage in just 10 minutes. But this tool has a serious drawback - it is dangerous for human health. It has a high cost, but the funds are not enough several times.

In any case, when using household cleaning products, be sure to use gloves (you can also have a protective mask), so you will protect yourself and maintain your health. Be sure to ensure that the room at this moment is well ventilated.

Granules must be poured into the drain and pour a glass of warm water. If the sink is filled with water before starting work, drain the excess into a bucket. After removing the blockage, flush the sewer with water.

Mechanical cleaning methods

Along with chemical methods, a mechanical cleaning method will be highly effective. If you are a city dweller and do not want to delve into the depths of the problem, the option of calling a plumber to your home, who will faithfully perform his work, is suitable for you.

If you have a private plot, most likely you will have to complete this task yourself. Most often in this situation, they use a plumbing cable, which is a strong long piece of wire, at the end of which a rotary handle is fixed. This cable is flexible and durable. At the other end of the wire there is a tip, thanks to which all the blockage is removed.

The tip may be a metal brush or a bulk spring. If a fat plug forms, the first type of tip is best.Do not forget, in turn, to do the work carefully so as not to damage the walls of the pipeline during the process.

Prepare a waste container before starting treatment work. Remove water that has accumulated in the sink and pipe. Refill the water again, see how much fluid is leaving, i.e. its volume. If the blockage is deep in the system, then the pipe cannot be disassembled. The end of the cable is inserted into the pipe, slowly turning it by the handle, after reaching the problematic place of clogging, it will be necessary to make a little more effort. The cable gets in the same way, only in reverse circular motions. The cable end after the procedures is treated with engine oil.

If there is a sewer receiver in the form of a pit in a private house, carefully remove the grease. Various chemicals can cause damage to soil and groundwater. Caustic soda will undoubtedly cope with fat, but then it gets into the soil. If your receiver is open, not airtight, use bacterial preparations that perfectly decompose fat, food debris and feces. The downside is that these funds will not work in an aggressive environment, because everything drains into the sewer, which means that detergent, powder, and cleaning agent get into it. It is necessary to bury this pit and make another, but airtight, in which caustic can be used. Caustic is dangerous, it burns any living tissue, wear gloves when working with it, and a mask. Carefully read the instructions for the product, carefully mix the dissolved granules. According to the instructions, the flow rate of 0.5-0.7 kg per 1 m³ pits. It is diluted with water for 8-10 liters. After the solution is poured into the sewer, they wait another 4-5 minutes, only then it is allowed to pump out the sewer with a sewer.

Prevention

What could be better than fat blockages? Of course, their absence, but for this it is necessary from time to time to resort to preventive measures. Everything is much simpler than removing the offensively unpleasant lump of fat and dirt, especially if you are a man and you have to eliminate it with your own hands, and not with the hands of a master, neighbor, friend or brother.

Preventive measures:

It is necessary at least once a month to process the sewer system with the means that are found in every kitchen. Do not believe if you are told that soda and vinegar will eliminate a strong blockage, these funds are used just for prevention.
When washing dishes, use hot rather than cold water. At the end of washing the dishes, pour a little hot water into the sink so that greasy deposits do not form on the walls of the pipe.
Try not to pour the rest of the fat from the food into the sink and toilet (you take out the garbage daily and the greasy residues can be drained into any container, jar, bottle intended for discharge).
If you want to avoid the use of chemicals and plumbing cable, use and install yourself a grease trap that will rid the sewer system of grease before water enters the pit. This device in one compartment eliminates waste from the drain, and in the second section removes all grease from the waste water.

The next step to prevention is the chemicals described above. They can also be used for prophylaxis, as is the case with blockage.

Conclusion

In conclusion, I would like to recall that clogging is much easier than eliminating it. No wonder they say that the disease is better to prevent than to cure. If you try to take care of the sewer pipes from time to time, then you will not have to deal with blockages or, in any case, much less. How to overcome this "pipe disease", you already know. The only thing left to do is choose your own way of eliminating it: chemical or mechanical.

Daniel

I am engaged in the maintenance of kindergartens. The problem with fat is a common thing.Everything written in the article is suitable for a maximum apartment. But the pollution photo is from a public place. Chemistry in such cases does not help, in view of the extended sections, it will be possible to clean up the maximum of a small section where it is able to linger, otherwise it will simply be washed into the riser. The cable is also useless, because it passes through the fat without removing it and without tearing it off the walls of the pipe. For prevention, I ask workers to pour sewage on hot Fridays (60-65 degrees) for 15 minutes on Fridays. But since it is not its own apartment, it rarely works. To do this, I specially bought a 10m propane hose with a 1/2 ″ fitting. I push it 1-2 meters into the sewerage bed, wrap it with a rag around in the socket (improvising chasing), and take hot water from the nearest mixer (and even better from the heater air vent, if possible, the water is hot there) and punch the area under pressure. At the other end of the pipe, you can only see the mass of separated fat. But this does not always help. Then I call a special brigade with a high-pressure installation, but this is already for money from 250 rubles / lm. And often just pay. And at home it’s easier to disassemble and clean. 10 minutes of work.

To answer

Boris

The blockage comes unexpectedly. Fat accumulates well in the horizontal section of the pipe. If possible, close the pipe on the other side and fill the hot alkali. After a few hours, remove the plug and flush the pipe with hot water.

Alexei

The most effective cleaning is cleaning with a complete analysis of the drain system! And no chemistry can cope with a strong blockage, chemistry is only for prevention

Ildar

the best tool is a Sequest. It cleans up to a bio film in a week, and then it forms a film, which further prevents the adhesion of all and not only fat, and also disinfects water from all known viruses and microbes

Stas

And what does your Sequest have to do with sewage ????

On Ali I took an inexpensive pneumatic gun for plumbing - it seems to penetrate well, the drain is definitely improving.

Andrew

Tips are generally appropriate. But in Soviet-style apartments with plastic sewer pipes mounted by the rules, do not bother much. Pipe sections are short and siltation, blockage of pipes can occur in 15 years or more. But the converted bathrooms, kitchens on the loggias, etc., as a result, the length of the pipes increases significantly, for a diameter of fifty millimeters, the probability of silting, clogging also increases significantly. But in this case, prevention is very necessary, especially if there are no revisions ...

Aleksandr Vladimirovich

Andrei, think WHAT you write - in “Soviet-style apartments” there were never plastic sewer pipes, only cast iron.
(and plastic is an “achievement” already of the post-Soviet period)
And where did you see the 50 mm sewer pipes, a sofa plumber ?!

Yuri

Quite right in Soviet times, in the Khrushchevs, the sewer was cast-iron and also rusted! And plastic is already a miracle .. and in order not to clog the system, you need to periodically rinse it WHY IT costs a penny, and the effect is cool .. Time tested HONESTLY !! And the cable is not required, although I keep it in reserve. I had to use it in the old house, it works.