Best sewer cleaners near Independence, WI

There are a few things that can happen to your sewer system if you don’t fix it. These include rainwater entering it and causing rust and corrosion, dirt and debris leading to blockages, small animals getting stuck inside and clogging your sewer line or entering your home, and shortening the sewer system’s life span. 

Without a cap, nothing prevents toxic and non-toxic gasses like methane and hydrogen sulfide from slowly escaping your sewer system and entering your home and the surrounding atmosphere, resulting in a foul sewer odor throughout your house.

It is generally safe to stay in a house that smells like sewage for a short time, but you should get the problem fixed as soon as possible. While the level of sewer gas is usually low enough to only cause minor symptoms, prolonged inhalation can lead to headaches, nausea, or respiratory irritation. High levels of gas exposure can be more dangerous, and high concentrations of methane—a component of sewer gas—can pose an explosion risk in enclosed spaces. If you smell sewer gas in your home, ventilate the area and call a professional to locate, assess, and fix the problem, as it will not go away on its own.

Most commercial liquid drain cleaners work in 15 to 30 minutes. Consult the label on the bottle for additional instructions or time suggestions to prevent damage to your drainpipes. Alternative solutions such as baking soda, salt, white vinegar, and/or boiling water can take longer since they are less harsh than liquid drain cleaners.

Thankfully, it’s pretty rare to find a rat in your toilet. It’s more likely in larger cities with big sewer systems that can be feeding grounds for rats, but even then, you still shouldn’t fret. 

“I wouldn’t worry too much about rats coming up through the sewers,” Bradshaw says. “I’d say only one out of a thousand rodent customers we get actually have this problem. And of the 20 or some customers that have had this happen, they’ve all only had just one rat come up this way.”