Sewer Line Maintenance and Cleaning Tips

As a homeowner, residential sewer line maintenance and cleaning is critical, especially if you want to prevent big blockages and other expensive problems. If you have a large family, there could be a lot of questionable items being flushed down your drains, which can very easily snag in the main line and cause a burst or some other catastrophic event. It is important to understand that your main sewage lines are not impervious to damage. Even things like harsh chemicals can start to wear away the sewage lines and cause wear and tear. As a homeowner, it is imperative that you know exactly what you can and can’t put down your drains. Here are some sewer line maintenance and cleaning tips.

1. Use an enzyme flush on a monthly basis. If you think about it, much of what is in your drains is organic matter. One of the best ways to break down organic matter is with enzymes. In fact, much of our digestive system is made up of enzymes that break down things like sugar and milk. When it comes to the matter that is in your drains, an enzyme flush will make sure the main line is clear and clean.
2. Make sure that trees and other flora are not pushing roots into the main sewage line. It is also critical that you don’t have roots growing into your sewage pipes, because that could cause an incredible amount of damage. If you plant trees, make sure the trees are planted far away from the main sewage line. If you need to move roots or sewage lines, you may want to hire an excavation company – like Stark Excavating Inc. – to dig up the ground, so that you can reroute the roots in your sewage main.
3. Update your pipes when you move into a particularly older home. If you are moving into an older home – built before the middle of the last century – there is a good chance that the sewage lines are old-fashioned. Not only is there is a good chance that these pipes won’t be working as efficiently, but they may also be on the verge of cracking and breaking, especially if you have old clay pipes. So, be sure to update your sewage piping system.
4. Be careful about what you flush down the toilets. Ideally, you don’t want to flush anything besides toilet paper down your pipes. Toilet paper is light enough and it has been designed to break apart in water. Other items will not break apart in water and will clog up your main line. If you have a family, you may want to make a policy about what can and can’t go down the toilets.
5. Hire a specialized plumbing rooter service to do a main flush about once a year. A rooter service will use unique tools to make sure there are no major blocks in your main sewage lines. Ideally, you want to do this once a year if you want to make sure your sewage lines are always clear. In the end, this will be a much smaller expense compared to the one you will be forced to pay when there is a major blockage or burst pipe.