Expert tips on how to keep your sewer line healthy free of repair
The typical service issues that come to mind around the house are clogged drains, backed-up sinks, and running toilets, but just as important, if not more so, is the health of a home’s sewer line. If there is a clog or damage, a sewer line repair can be a very time consuming, involved, and costly process. Most homeowners would prefer to avoid having to go through the process of a repair, or sewer line replacement, and luckily for them, there are several proactive steps that can be taken to ensure their home’s pipes stay as healthy as possible.
Keep Trees, Bushes, and Shrubs Away from Pipes
In general, foliage growing near sewer lines makes maintenance access difficult, as maneuvering around any tree or brush is particularly difficult. However, of greater importance, in many older homes, sewer lines are still made of clay. If trees, bushes, and shrubs are left to grow close enough to these pipes, the thick roots from the plants can break through weak spots in the clay in search of the water within the lines. Once inside, the roots not only cause the lines to leak, but they can also create blockages, catching and trapping debris in the water into one solid mass.
If there are still clay lines in use for your home’s sewer pipes, it may be worth looking into doing a sewer line replacement, to avoid the potential issues in older materials. Newer sewer lines generally use metals, with fewer joints, and less chance for pesky roots to poke their way into the lines.
Watch What Goes Down the Drain
Non-chemical enzymatic cleaners
Be careful about what is left to enter the drains around the house. Grease, oils, and food that goes down the kitchen sink can create major clogs that will necessitate a sewer line repair. Additionally, non-flushable items that find their way down the toilet — such as “flushable” wipes, diapers, hygiene products, or cotton balls — can cause similar issues once they hit the sewer line
Something that should be actively put down the drain, at least once a month, is a good enzyme based cleaner. Non-chemical, enzymatic cleaners will help keep your pipes clean, without causing as much wear-and-tear on the pipe interior as a chemical-based cleaner, and they’re better for the environment overall.
Schedule an Annual Maintenance Cleaning
Hand in hand with the monthly cleaner, scheduling an annual rooter cleaning with a professional will help keep pipes clear of debris, as well as potentially catch any issues before they require a full sewer pipe repair. This is because a professional cleaning includes a professional inspection, using tools such as telescopic cameras to root out any errant roots breaking into the pipes, or cracks forming on the walls, and allowing issues to be diagnosed more precisely overall.
Staying on top of the situation, and ensuring a scheduled annual rooter cleaning is performed will help keep home sewer lines in the best possible condition throughout the year. Avoid the need for a sewer replacement or repair by catching any potential issues early on by setting aside time now, and call Duane Blanton Plumbing, Sewer and Drainage at (815) 781-2567, or schedule online
