Soil Stack Cleaning & Maintenance 
Soil stack cleaning and maintenance is essential for the continued operation of any drainage system. Both cleaning and maintenance will save a food service business money, staff time and the stress associated with problems caused by blocked drains. It will also help prevent blockages which, in a worst-case scenario, can lead to property damage and cause serious business disruption and downtime.
What is a Soil Stack?
A soil stack is a long, vertical plumbing pipe that will span the length of a building in order to transport used water, waste and sewer gases from the wastewater system – allowing air to enter the system and balance the pressure. Built from PVC or cast iron, the pipe will often extend above the roof line, helping keep unpleasant odours and dangerous gasses away from people.
An important part of the wastewater system, the soil stack works to prevent the build-up of dangerous sewer gases whilst helping to maintain proper airflow through the pipes. The bottom end of the pipe goes underground through a manhole which connects to the main sewage system. You will find horizontal soil stack waste pipes on any property that is connected to the sewer system, including:
- Private homes
- Flat blocks
- Office blocks
- Commercial buildings
- Restaurants
It’s common for horizontal soil stack waste pipes to be blocked with non-flushable items as well as the fats, oils, and grease (FOG) generated by a commercial kitchen operation. The underground vertical portion of the soil stack pipe can also become blocked with these items and suffer from a build-up of uratic salt, which narrows the soil stack pipe.
Common symptoms of a blocked soil stack pipe include:
- Toilets not emptying
- Sinks or baths not draining
- Water bursts coming from the joints of the soil stack pipe
- Dirty water overflowing from the bottom of the pipework
What is Soil Stack Cleaning?
Soil stack cleaning refers to the process of cleaning and maintaining the inside of a soil stack to prevent blockages and maintain optimal functionality. Over prolonged periods of time, soil stacks can become clogged with debris such as grease, hair and soap scum – which inevitably leads to slow-draining sinks, toilets and more.
Generally, soil stack cleaning and maintenance involves using specialist tools, such as plumbing snakes or hydro-jetters to remove any blockages and restore proper flow to the wastewater system. Regular soil stack cleaning is vital in ensuring the health and safety of building occupants. If ignored, clogged pipes can release toxic sewer gases into living areas.
The Importance of Soil Stack Cleaning
There are a wide variety of reasons why proper soil stack cleaning and maintenance is important, such as the prevention of blockages, avoiding expensive repairs and preventing sewer gas leaks.
Preventing Blockages
Routine maintenance plans for soil stack cleaning can help avoid emergency callouts and the need for the costly related services required to rectify a problem. Aqua Mundus’ drainage specialist partner offers free on-site assessments and no obligation quotes, enabling you to obtain routine maintenance recommendations from the experts, without spending a penny.
Qualified engineers can also provide expert services including:
- High-pressure water jetting
- Electro-mechanical cleaning
- High-speed cleaning
Avoiding Costly Repairs
Clogged soil stacks can lead to serious damage being inflicted upon pipes and fixtures, which are extremely expensive to repair. Regular soil stack maintenance and cleaning helps to prevent this and will save you money, time and hassle in the long term.
Preventing Sewer Gas Leaks
As mentioned prior, when a soil stack becomes clogged it can cause a build-up of sewer gases. This is a real problem and can pose serious health and safety hazards. Regular soil stack cleaning helps to circumvent this potential issue from arising.