How to maintain your sewer line?

Replacing a single sewer line can easily cost quite a bit. Rather than waste money on replacing your line, you can prevent issues through sewer line inspection and repair. If you can avoid expensive clogs and drainage issues through proper maintenance, you can end up saving thousands of dollars in the long run.

The Best Sewer Line Maintenance Tips

Fortunately, you do not have to be a plumber to keep your sewer line in working order. If you can avoid pouring food or other items down the drain, you can prevent a lot of problems. When sewer clogs or leaks do happen, you can always reach out to Apollo Plumbing for help.

1. Never Put Things Down Your Pipes

This is the most important tip for sewer line maintenance. You should never put anything down your lines. Only human waste, toilet paper, and water should go into your sewer system. If you let food scraps, dental floss, cooking grease, and other items go down your drains, you will end up with clogged lines and an expensive repair bill.

To ensure proper pipe drainage, you should install a drain screen in your shower to catch clumps of hair. After you take a shower, you should throw out the clump so that it does not accidentally go down the drain. You should also never flush wipes down the drain. Even if the wipes say they are flushable, they will still cause issues with your pipe drainage.

2. Clean Your Lines

To keep your lines clear, you should remember to clean your lines frequently. This can easily be done with an enzyme cleaner. You can find an enzyme cleaner at your hardware store or a plumbing supply shop.

You can also clean out your drains with a snake. This cheap device is great for removing minor clogs. You just have to snake the auger into your drain line. Then, you can use it to cut up the clog. If the clog cannot be cut up, you can twist the snake into the clog’s center and pull it out.

3. Be Wary of Your Plants

Your bushes and trees could potentially harm your plumbing as well. For example, willow trees are known for having invasive, shallow roots. No matter where you plant a willow tree, the roots can end up blocking your pipes.

Over time, trees and bushes can cause your lines to crack. As a result, you can end up with a sewer leak or clogged sewer lines. Even if you remove the offending plant, you will most likely have to replace the entire line. At the very least, you will need to find a plumber who knows how to handle sewer relining.

4. Watch Out for Fat, Oil, and Grease (FOG)

When it comes to your sewer lines, you need to stop fats and grease from getting into your system. The majority of sewer clogs are caused by oil, fat, and grease. Once these ingredients go down your drain, other items will stick to them. If you do cook fatty or greasy food, you should use a paper towel to remove the grease from your dishes before you wash them in your sink or dishwasher.

5. Switch Your Toilet Paper

One-ply toilet paper is better for your sewage system. While thick toilet paper can block your lines, one-ply toilet paper is easier to flush. If there is a clog, one-ply paper is more likely to dissolve on its own. Plus, this kind of toilet paper is generally cheaper than thicker options.

6. Notice Your Drainage Problems

To prevent or repair a problem, you have to know that it exists. There are a few common signs you might have an issue with your pipe drainage. When you see any of the following problems, you should call a plumber to fix them as soon as possible.

• Something smells like rotten eggs.
• You have soggy grass or a sudden indentation in your yard.
• You notice water in the shower after you flush the toilet. When your system is working properly, you should never have water appear in strange places.
• If you have several plumbing fixtures clogged at the same time, then you most likely have a clog in your sewage line.
• You hear gurgling or bubbling noises in one of your drains.

7. Try Descaling

Cast iron is a popular material, but it is susceptible to rust deposits. If your pipes are made out of cast iron, these deposits will eventually form and cause solid matter to get stuck. You need to descale your lines to prevent a clog from forming. This can be done by water jetting each year. The water will remove rust deposits so that your pipes can function properly.

8. Consider Changing Your Toilet’s Flush

Most modern toilets have a low-volume flush. This might save water, but it is not always the best choice for your sewer line. If you have a negative slope or a low area in your yard, you may need the extra water to push waste away from your home. A negative slope allows water to build up in one location, which can eventually lead to a clog.

Negative slopes are more common in old sewer systems. They can also happen because of a construction error or shifting soil. No matter how they developed, you can remedy this issue by using a high-volume flush.