Plumbing issues such as a broken pipe or a leaking valve are annoying and troublesome, but they cannot even compare with the issues and concerns that homeowners experience when a sewer line backs up. Not only are you faced with expensive water damage repair, but the need for contamination remediation compounds the cost. It is a homeowner’s worst nightmare. But the good news is there are a few simple tips that can eliminate the potential for sewage to back in your home.
Proper Grease Disposal
Grease and oil-based products are the number one cause of drain clogs. Liquid cooking grease, oil, and fats that are dumped into a drain rarely make it all the way to the city sewer main. In most cases, these oil-based materials adhere to the inside of the drain pipes and create a sticky residue. This grime and residue act like a magnet, attracting food and debris particles and hair to create some nasty clogs. Properly disposing of fats, oil, and cooking grease in the trash rather than down the drain is the best way to avoid clogs and sewer backups.
Avoid Toilet Clogs
Toilets are only designed to dispose of human waste and toilet paper. This paper is very biodegradable and will break down quickly, without creating clogs in your sewer line. Any other paper products such as paper towels, disposable diapers, feminine products, and even many moist toilet wipes are not meant to be flushed. None of these products deteriorate quickly, and they will create massive clogs in your sewer lines. The result is sure to be sewage backing up in your home and an expensive clean-up project.
Install A Backwater Valve
There are many reasons that your sewer line could become clogged outside your home. Aging pipes or pipe damage from tree roots are two of the most common concerns for homeowners. However, you can protect your home from these sewage backflows by having a backwater valve installed. The valve is placed on the pipe just outside your home, and it only allows sewage to flow out of your home.
Never Allow Illegal Plumbing Connections
Licensed plumbers know the plumbing code in your area, and they understand why these rules are essential. Never allow a handyman to connect a French drain, a sump pump line, or other flood control piping to your sewer line. These types of pipes carry sand, silt, and debris that will clog your sewer line and result in a sewer backup in your home.
Consider Plastic Piping
If you have an older home with metal sewer lines, you should consider replacing those old, deteriorating pipes with new plastic pipes. The plastic pipes will not rust or corrode like the metal pipes, and they are far less likely to be damaged by invasive tree roots. If you find that your old metal sewer pipes are always becoming clogged, replacement is a wise choice to avoid a costly sewer line backup in your home.
Sewer Line Maintenance
Most homeowners are not aware that they are responsible for the care and maintenance of the sewer line that is buried in their yard. This sewer lateral is what connects all of the drain pipes in your home to the city sewer main. Regularly scheduled professional drain cleaning is the best way to ensure that you are never faced with a sewage back up and contamination in your home. This process uses only very high-pressure water to blast the residue and particles from the lateral sewer line to the city main. Not only is this the only safe method of cleaning sewer pipes, but it is also the only one that is guaranteed to eliminate all material that could create future clogs.
If you are concerned about slow clearing drains in your home, a call to (214) 388-8838 is the best way to avoid a costly sewer line back up in your home. An inspection and professional drain cleaning from the pros at Flow Plumbing will eliminate any clogs that have formed in the sewer lines and the nasty residue that could begin to create new clogs.