Nobody gives a second thought to their sewer lines until everything backs up. Then our carefree life goes from ease to crisis. We want the situation solved immediately, which generally involves calling an emergency plumber and opening our wallets big time as well.
Homeowners can do a lot to prevent clogged sewer lines, and it’s not exactly rocket science to do so.
- Avoid tree root problems in your sewer
Tree root problems are the number one cause of sewer problems. First avoid, if at all possible, any kind of tree or bush near your sewer lines.
What happens is tree roots enter through the clay tile joints and clog your main sewer line up.
The solution is a chemical called copper sulfate. Copper sulfate, which is available from Amazon and most home hardware stores, is a chemical that kills roots before they can become established in your sewer.
To use copper sulfate crystals, simply pour 1/2 cup in your toilet and flush. (note, only use in your toilet, not your sinks or showers as it will destroy your pipes)
Wait around 10 minutes, while turning on a fan or open the kitchen windows, then do a second application. Then flush the toilet without adding the crystals for 2 or three times. Then leave the house for a few hours to avoid all fumes. Also be sure that pets are locked up away from the bathroom and pets are particularly subject to the toxic fumes.
If a single application doesn’t take care of the problem, try one more time, but after that, consider calling a plumber. Follow the link here for sewer repair near me.
2 Screen against hair
Any plumber will tell you it’s incredible how much hair gets logged into sink drains and shower drains. Especially if you have several women in the house.
Those long locks may look beautiful, but can come at a cost to your drains. On average, people naturally lose between 50 and 100 strands of hair per day, so if you have a wife and two daughters, up to 300 strands of hair per day can really add up.
There are three simple solutions:
- If you are a woman, brush your hair before showering
- Install a small wire mesh over your drains to easily scoop up any hair built up and keep it from going into the drain.
- Three, pour boiling water once a month into the drain
- Keep kitchen drains clear from grease and debris
Grease in the form of butters, salad dressings, sauces, and of course cooked food are the primary cause of kitchen pipes closing up.
Even if there is no initial blockage, the grease is likely to settle further down into the pipes and slowly build into a blockage.
Be extremely careful about any fats and grease you put into your drains, and remember your garbage disposal only chops food up into little pieces. It doesn’t necessarily keep your pipes clean.
- Buy a snake
A plumbers snake is a very handy thing to have in the house. They are quite cheap, and if you snake your drains every once in a while, you can avoid costly plumber bills as well as keep your drains open.
- Get a lint trap for your washing machine
An incredible amount of lint can come from washing your clothes, and if you don’t have a lint trap on your washing machine drain, all of that lint will flow through your pipes.
Also consider switching to liquid detergent for your wash as liquid detergent presents much less problems for your pipes. If all of the above doesn’t work, contact a local plumber.
