Homeowner’s Guide to Sewer Line Maintenance

As a responsible homeowner, you know that caring for a home sewer system is the best way to avoid interruption of function (which is very inconvenient), expensive repairs, and property damage. Care that begins inside the home extends to the sewer line that runs across the lawn. It all needs to be cared for properly. But when a sewer problem happens, it calls for immediate help from a trained, professional plumber.

Sewer Line Maintenance: How to Care for a Sewer Line

The best practice for sewer line care is to be mindful of what is put into the sewer line.

• Most grease, oil, or fat enters the drain while in liquid form. Some grease is unavoidable, but intentionally pouring oily substances down the drain is very problematic. At some point, the liquid oil cools and becomes solid. Greasy substances are sticky. They stick to the bottom of a drain line and trap other objects that make their way through the drain. Avoid pouring oily substances down the drain.
• Ground up food. Garbage disposals are very convenient. It is tempting to put any and all food waste through the disposal and send it down the drain. But remember the grease that resides in the drain? Remember, it is sticky. Egg shells and fibrous food particles, such as peels, get caught and can create a messy blockage.
• Foreign objects. Most of the time, these things get flushed by accident, or at least unintentionally for the homeowner. But clothing, toys, and even the occasional small electronic device ends up in the drain line.

These common sewer line maintenance and care practices help prevent blockages from occurring since backups are very inconvenient. A backup will limit or prevent cooking, cleaning, and flushing until the problem is repaired. A backup into the home can require costly repairs.

Sewer Line Maintenance: Outdoor Care for a Sewer Line

Since the homeowner is responsible for the sewer line running across the lawn, there are a few steps to include to avoid issues whenever possible.

• Whenever possible, identify the location of the sewer line. There may be a sewer clean-out in the yard, allowing a homeowner to determine the direction of the sewer line.
• Avoid planting trees or shrubs over or in the immediate vicinity of the sewer line.
• Watch for an indication of a break in the sewer line: a spot where grass is growing differently than the rest of the lawn, or a spot that stays wet all the time.

Any flaw in the pipe, even the slightest leak, will attract the roots of trees and shrubs; remember that root systems will spread deep and wide. What we consider wastewater, a plant will see as water and nutrients, just what the oak tree ordered. The pipe can quickly fill with roots, reducing, then cutting off the flow in the sewer line.

Sewer problems are serious and will not correct themselves; they require the immediate service of a professional plumber.

• Lighted cameras attached to long cables can locate the problem area and give the exact location of the trouble spot.
• A water jet can break up the grease that might be deposited in the drain line.
• An auger may be required to cut through the root system.
• Repairing the leak that attracts the root system will be the long-term solution to avoid future root growth.

Sewer Line Maintenance: Don’t Wait for a Problem to Call a Plumber

Practicing proper sewer line maintenance is the best way to prevent inconvenient and costly backups. However, when problems do arise, they require immediate attention from a professional. If you suspect a serious sewer issue, don’t wait for it to get worse. Contact a qualified plumber today for an inspection and to restore proper function.

Let Doctor Cool assist with all of your sewer line maintenance questions. Call Doctor Cool & Professor Heat today at 281-516-5935 or email Doctor Cool and let our professional plumbing repair Contractors assist with all of your plumbing repair, sewer line maintenance, and installation needs.