The sewer line that carries wastewater and solid waste from your home and out to the municipal sewer line in the street isn’t a part of your home plumbing you probably think much about. Who wants to think about the sewer system, after all?
However, it pays to know something about how best to care for this sewer line so you can avoid major problems with it in the future, such as having the sewer line become so clogged that it starts to back up and potentially send sewage into your home. Thinking a little bit about your sewer line is much better than being forced to think about it.
We work with sewer lines and offer services such as sewer cleaning in Charleston, SC, and we can use our expertise to help you keep your sewer line from getting clogged up. Follow along below and we’ll keep those sewer emergencies at bay.
Know What Not to Put Down the Drains
Avoid using the drains in your home as if they were conduits to the garbage. First, don’t put any actual garbage down the drains, especially down the toilets. Any physical trash, from plastic to paper, needs to go in the actual garbage. In the case of toilets, never flush anything down them that isn’t human waste or toilet paper. Even tissue paper is harmful since it’s absorbent and can swell up in the sewer line. Hygiene products and sanitary wipes are major problems since far too many people assume they’re flushable. (Don’t believe “flushable” wipes are what they claim they are—they’re not!)
Other items to keep out of the drains include fats, grease, and oil from cooking, medicine, any food waste that’s too hard for your teeth to chew, and kitty litter. These can all create massive build-up in the sewer line.
Watch Out for Tree Roots
The roots of trees naturally grow toward nutrient-rich areas in the soil. The heat around the sewer line is a natural draw, and when roots reach the pipeline, they’ll infiltrate to reach the nutrients inside. Roots can rapidly clog up an entire sewer, and if they continue to grow they’ll eventually cause the pipe to break apart. The best way to avoid this is with careful landscaping that relies on plants with shallow roots and keeps trees far distant from where the line is buried.
Schedule Regular Drain Cleaning
A sewer line needs regular maintenance attention. You can’t clean the sewer line yourself, but it’s easy to call our team to handle the job. We use powerful hydro-jetting equipment to completely scour a sewer line: it’s a safe and environmentally friendly method. We recommend you schedule a sewer line inspection once a year, and we’ll be able to tell you when you need a full sewer line cleaning.
Educate Others in the Home
Make sure that everyone in your household knows what can go down drains and toilets. Some homeowners even post signs in their bathrooms to caution guests about what can be put down the toilets. Young children often like to flush items down toilets, so even giving them some gentle reminders can be a big help in preventing sewer line troubles in the future.
Contact Carolina Climate Control when you need assistance with your sewer line. The Moose Is Loose in Your Neighborhood!
