When your home has a clogged sewer drain, you may need to call an emergency plumber. Since water from every drain finds its way to the sewer line, running water in any of your sinks could cause sewage to back up in your home. Plus, your toilet will be out of service since you don't want to risk flushing and causing your toilet to overflow.

Emergency drain cleaning clears the clog so you don't have the worry of a toxic mess in your home looming over your head. Here's how a plumber might go about emergency drain cleaning for a clogged sewer line.

Use A Snake Through The Toilet

If your home doesn't have a cleanout, the plumber may use the toilet or another drain to send a snake through the line. The snake can pull out clogs or punch through them so wastewater flows through. A snake is quick and easy to use, and it can get rid of paper clogs and tree roots.

Some snakes can harm porcelain, so the plumber has to use a head that doesn't scratch your toilet. They also need a snake with enough cable to make it through the twists and turns to reach the clog. In some cases, the plumber might need to use the snake through the pipe vent on your roof.

Hydro Jet Through The Cleanout

A hydro jet can be used through the cleanout or toilet too. A cleanout is the most convenient way to clear a clogged sewer line, so if you don't have one, you might want the plumber to install one at a later time. The plumber may want to use a sewer camera before using a hydro jet. This is a common procedure to make sure the pipes are able to withstand the strong water pressure from the jet.

Your plumber might recommend a hydro jet over a snake since the jet of water cleans the sides of the pipe to get it as clean as possible. This removes all traces of the clog so there is no debris left to start building another clog. A hydro jet is effective at clearing out tree roots, paper clogs, and obstructions of all kinds.

Emergency drain cleaning is carried out like any other drain cleaning appointment, except there is a sense of urgency due to the risk of sewage backup. When waste can't go down the drain, it has no place to go but back in your house, so sewer clogs should be handled right away if possible.