Drain & Sewer Tips
Your drains and sewer line are integral parts of your plumbing system. The following tips should help you keep your drains and sewer lines clean and clear to at all times to prevent problems or the need for any expensive repairs.
Blocked Drains Don’t Need to Happen
The most common drain related issue is blockage. Build–up in your drains occurs over time, and blocks the flow of waste water as it is exiting your home. The result can be costly and messy if problems aren’t dealt with quickly.
First, make sure you don’t put anything down the drain – toilet or otherwise – that isn’t designed to go down the drain. There are a very small number of things that can be safely flushed down the toilet. Toilet paper is okay, but napkins, paper towels and tissues are not. They are all paper, but only toilet paper is specially designed to disintegrate. Other paper products are designed to absorb, meaning they will sit in the drain pipes for much longer.
In the kitchen, grease is the main thing you need to worry about. It should never be poured down the drain. When grease is hot, it’s in liquid form so it can certainly be tempting to pour down the drain, but as it cools it will turn into a congealed mess that acts like glue to food and anything else that passes by.
Roots in Your Sewer Line
Roots breaching the sewer line are major problems that can result in thousands of dollars of damage. To avoid roots damage to your sewer lines, make sure you don’t plant anything near your sewer line. If you’re not sure where the sewer line is located, have a survey done or call a plumber to locate it.
If there are already trees or bushes near the sewer lines, make sure they are kept well–trimmed, or better yet, remove them entirely to avoid a problem from developing. If there are cracks or leaks in your sewer line, have them fixed as quickly as possible. Even the smallest amount of water will attract roots from nearby plants and trees.
Don’t Pour Chemicals Down the Drain
One of the most common reasons a pipe bursts or starts to leak is the use of chemicals in that pipe over time. Despite the ads you see on TV and in grocery stores, liquid plumbing solutions are not a smart option. These chemicals will break down the food and build up in your pipes, but they also break down the lining of the pipes and lead to early leaks, which will require that you replace them sooner than you otherwise would have.
Flushing Your Drains
While chemicals should never be used in your drains, there are things you can flush down them to remove build–up that occurs over time. A weekly flush is actually a fantastic idea that will minimize the impact of long term build up of grease, food particles, soap and hair.
Boiling hot water with lemon juice is effective, as is a mixture of baking soda and vinegar. Just make sure you don’t use any chemicals that have corrosive effects on your pipes. If neither of these other methods works, call a professional right away. Allowing for a problem to continue to grow is only going to lead to more expensive repair needs down the road.
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