The key to keeping the plumbing in your home running smoothly and avoiding costly repairs is maintaining the residential sewer lines. Sewer lines are typically out of sight and hence are commonly out of mind until some major issue arises regarding the line. Neglecting these important parts of your home can mean major problems: backups, leaks, and even structural damage. With a proactive maintenance approach, you can extend the life of your sewer lines while saving your home from accidental plumbing disasters.
1. Schedule Sewer Line Cleanings
Regular sewer line cleanings can go a long way toward preventing blockages from forming in your plumbing system. Over time, it’s common for the following elements to find their way into the sewer pipes: debris, grease, and even tree roots. These gradual blockages slowly bring on slow drains, foul odors, and full-blown backups. Scheduling professional sewer line cleanings every 12 to 24 months can go a long way in avoiding major issues before they become big problems.
When cleaning out sewer lines, a plumber at Bobby L Greene Plumbing, Heating & Cooling Co. cleans the blockage with specialized equipment. Another prevalent method is hydro jetting, which sends high-pressure water through the pipes, cleaning out the clogs of debris, grease, and roots. Doing this does not just clear blockages but also keeps the integrity of the sewer line intact by reducing the risk of developing cracks and leaks.
Not having regular sewer line maintenance will increase the chances of an emergency, which can disrupt your day-to-day life and your wallet. You will also have to pay more for repairs and damage in case of a serious sewage backup. When you commit to having your home’s sewer lines regularly cleaned, you take an important step in safeguarding the longevity and reliability of the sewer system in your home.
2. Upgrade Old Pipes
Many homes, especially older ones, still have sewer lines made from clay, cast iron, and other materials. These materials used to be standard, but they deteriorate easily, creating leaks, cracks, and even collapses of sewer pipes. Clay pipes invite tree root intrusion because they are porous, and cast-iron pipes begin to corrode and rust out over time.
These old pipes need renovations to include today’s materials, such as PVC or ABS, which are excellent for the long-term health of the plumbing in your home. Unlike traditional piping materials, PVC and ABS pipes are more resistant to corrosive attack and root penetration. Such materials also have smoother interior surfaces, reducing the possibility of blockages and allowing for freer flow.
3. Practice Proper Waste Disposal in Bathrooms
One common cause of sewage line issues is poor bathroom waste disposal. Some may think that it is safe to flush items like wet wipes, paper towels, sanitary products, and cotton swabs down a toilet. However, even products that have “flushable” labels can create big jams in your sewer lines. Unlike toilet paper, which breaks apart in water, these things don’t dissolve and can build up in your pipes.
To protect your sewer lines, only flush human waste and toilet paper at all times. Educate every member of your household—more specifically, children—on how to properly dispose of waste. This way, everyone can participate in keeping your home from having blocked sewer lines. You should also have a bathroom wastebasket with a sign encouraging people to put things that do not belong in toilets there instead. Good waste disposal practices will largely avoid the risks of clogs and blockages, thus lengthening the life of your sewer lines and reducing the need for expensive repairs.
4. Use Drain Strainers
Drain strainers, also known as drain guards or hair catchers, are devices that are simple in design yet very effective at preventing things from entering your sewer lines. These small devices install over the drain openings in your sinks, showers, and bathtubs, catching all sorts of hair, food pieces, soap scum, and other items that might find their way into the pipes and block them.
Bathroom drain strainers are important since hair is most likely to cause blockage in bathroom drains. Hair can easily accumulate in the pipes and form tangled masses to catch other soap scum particles. This keeps building up and eventually causes the drainage to slow down over time until you can see a complete blockage. By catching the hair before entering into the pipes, drain strainers prevent these blockages from happening and offer an easy way to keep drains clear and flowing freely.
These drain strainers in the kitchen prevent food and grease from entering the sewer lines. Even very small food particles can settle into your home’s pipes, along with other items, causing clogs. Strainers with fine mesh screens can stop small particles of food so only water passes through your pipes. Just empty the collected debris into the trash after every use and rinse the strainer to keep it clean and effective.
5. Maintain Your Garbage Disposal
While garbage disposals can be a very convenient kitchen appliance, they can also add to sewer line problems if not used properly. Many times, a garbage disposal can become clogged or damaged because of certain types of foods. It is important to avoid starchy and fibrous foods like potato peels, corn husks, and celery, as they can wrap around the blades of your garbage disposal or form a thick paste that may clog the disposal. If you need to dispose of larger chunks of vegetables or meat, it is essential to cut them into pieces, so the garbage disposal doesn’t become clogged.
Running cold water before you start the garbage disposal, during the operation, and for a short time after you use the disposal to solidify any grease and oils that may be in the disposal, to easily grind and flush out the solids. You may also want to use the disposal less and dispose of food in a compost or waste bin if it is appropriate. Making sure the garbage disposal in your home stays in good working order, in turn, helps to prevent clogs in your home’s plumbing system.
6. Inspect the Pipes and Drains in Your Home for Signs of Sewer Issues
So that you are proactive about the sewer lines in your home, it is important to check on the plumbing in your home regularly. Inspect your home regularly for slow drains, gurgling toilets, foul odors, and wet spots in your yard that indicate a blockage or leak of sewer lines. If you notice anything different from your last inspection, make a note of it and give us a call at Bobby L Greene Plumbing, Heating & Cooling Co., so we can come to your home and check out the issue. Alerting us to a minor issue as soon as possible helps us discover the problem and do any necessary repairs as early as possible, which will help save you money and concern.
At Bobby L Greene Plumbing, Heating & Cooling Co. in Shreveport, LA, we provide garbage disposal, toilet, and bathroom plumbing solutions for homes in the area. Our friendly team also provides HVAC maintenance, AC installation, and furnace installation. Contact Bobby L Greene Plumbing, Heating & Cooling Co. for more information today!
