How does drain cleaning work in apartment buildings?

How a drain cleaning of individual drains works

In an apartment building there are usually vertical collecting pipes into which the sewage from various drains in the apartments is directed. Waste that goes to the toilet and grease can quickly clog the pipes.

• When the water at a single Drain does not flow away, the blockage is usually in the odor trap. This can be removed from the sink and wash basin for cleaning purposes. You can usually do this yourself.
• This usually does not work for toilets, showers and bathtubs. Only in modern showers are special filters installed, which can be removed from above. Otherwise all you can do is try to use a spiral to clear the drain.
• Sometimes the only time the water will not drain is if you pour out a large amount. In such cases, sometimes wet spots show up on the walls. The blockage is then located in one of the collecting pipes, it can affect the system that leads to the main pipe, or it can be in this itself. Since the pipes are only tight against running water, the aforementioned damp spots on a wall can occur. Drain cleaning by an appropriate company is required here.
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Cleaning the main line in the apartment building

A blockage in one of the collecting lines should only be removed by a specialist company. Using unsuitable equipment, such as a hand spiral, runs the risk of damaging the cables.

• The company's employees will locate the place where the blockage is believed to be. As a rule, the company starts at the drain from which the water does not drain. A high-pressure nozzle, which is usually provided with a screw, is inserted there. This part bores its way through the blockage. A mini camera is also introduced for more detailed examinations.
• In the event of a blockage in the collecting pipe, the drain cleaning can often be carried out from below, i.e. from the basement. The water that escapes during cleaning is pumped out immediately and cannot cause any consequential damage.
• As soon as the high pressure nozzle has pierced the blockage, the water flows out. So that the plug does not get stuck in another place, the entire pipe system is flushed through to the sewer.
• If the camera detects damage, such as cracks or holes in the sewer pipe, it must be exposed from the outside. This is also necessary if the system does not work. Even special machines cannot penetrate extremely hard deposits. However, this only happens in very rare cases. Rinsing is almost always sufficient.

Cleaning costs

• While the job is done quickly, it can be expensive. The establishments need high quality devices. In an apartment building with several floors, many meters of pipe must be flushed through until all deposits are flushed into the sewer. Depending on the length of the lines and the amount of work involved, the costs range between € 150 and € 500.
• If the clogged point is clearly in pipes that belong to a residential unit, the owner of the unit must or whose tenants usually bear the costs - unless the blockage is not due to his fault developed.
• If the blockage is due to a piece of pipe through which the sewage from several apartments flows, the house owner or the owners' meeting is obliged to pay. As a rule, the costs cannot be passed on.

As a tenant, you should never hire a business yourself. You could be left with the costs.