Over time, a sewer line will be subjected to all sorts of residual buildup. This buildup will eventually become a problem, as it will cause the sewer line to back up. And if the sewer line backs up, you’re going to be living in a world of hurt.
This is why you need to clean your sewer line on a regular basis. While the bulk of the cleaning should be left to the professionals, you can do a few things in between professional cleanings to keep the line operating at optimal levels.
Curious as to what these “few things” are? Then read on. Here are 6 tips on sewer line cleaning.
Table of Contents
1. Be Kind to Your Line
It’s not always about what you do; it’s about what you don’t do as well. And in the case of keeping sewer lines clean, it’s about ceasing to flush trouble items. The more you can keep these trouble items out of your sewer line, the less clogging it will experience, and the better off it will be.
But what are these trouble items? Then include but aren’t limited to hair, wipes, tampons, condoms, paper towels, medications, kitty litter, and essentially anything else that isn’t human waste or toilet paper.
Being kind to your sewer line is the best thing you can do to keep it clean. So, be sensible and use your line only for what it’s supposed to be used for.
2. Introduce Baking Soda and Vinegar
When mixed together, baking soda and vinegar make a terrific degreaser. And while there’s probably not a ton of grease in your sewer line, there’s likely some. For this reason, every few months or so, you should flush a concoction of vinegar and baking soda down your toilet.
These two substances will help to keep grease at bay, thus preventing other items from getting trapped within the sewer line. They’re cheap, they’re easy to buy, and they work, so take advantage of them! They will help to keep your line clean until it’s time for a professional-grade sewer line cleaning.
3. Make Use of Enzyme Cleaners
One thing you should be doing to keep your sewer line clean is to add an enzyme cleaner to it every month or so. Enzyme cleaners are specifically designed to break down certain particles. This enables them to clear many of the clogs that build up within a sewer line.
Using an enzyme cleaner is fairly straightforward. Just open the bottle and pour it down your toilet. Make sure to follow the directions on the bottle to ensure that you’re not pouring too much down. Then, flush the toilet.
This will send the enzymes through your sewer line, allowing them to work their magic. No, they won’t clear your sewer line entirely, but they will help to keep it clean until another professional cleaning can be facilitated.
You can find enzyme cleaners at most home improvement and big box stores. There are all sorts of brands available, so do your research online and find one that suits your needs.
4. Snake It Out
Every so often, your sewer line will run into a clog. This clog will impair the use of your sewer line, and present the risk of a sewage backup.
Fortunately, there’s a way to combat this problem. All you have to do is snake out the affected drain.
A snake is essentially a metal wire that you put down into a drain. It grasps on to pieces of residue and, when pulled back up, breaks those pieces of residue apart. As such, it’s fairly effective in eliminating small clogs.
You should invest in a plumbing snake and use it every time a clog presents itself. If the snake isn’t able to eliminate the clog, you’ll need to call in a professional for further help.
5. Flush It Out
Oftentimes, a residual buildup will hang out within a sewer line simply because it hasn’t been pushed enough. Unfortunately, over time, it can strengthen, making it progressively more difficult to do away with.
As such, every few months, you need to facilitate a full-scale flush of your sewer line. Turn on your faucets and flush your toilets simultaneously, allowing water to flow through each nook and cranny of the plumbing system. With any luck, a good deal of the system’s residual buildup will be flushed out.
6. Bring in a Professional Every Year
Despite what you might do to clean your sewer line on your own, you’re not going to be able to clean it in its entirety. You don’t have the tools needed to facilitate a full-scale sewer line cleaning.
But do you know who does? Plumbers! Plumbers have all of the tools, resources, and know-how necessary to properly and thoroughly clean your sewer line.
For this reason, every year or so, you need to bring in a plumber to clean your sewer line. He or she will get every nook and cranny, ensuring that your sewer line is clear and ready for another year of operation.
If you don’t have your sewer line professionally cleaned, it will eventually back up, leading to a sewage overflow. This would spell disaster for the interior of your home.
Sewer Line Cleaning Is a Necessity
Sewer line cleaning isn’t a choice, it’s a necessity. Failure to clean your sewer line will result in sewage backup. Sewage backup will not only destroy parts of your home but it will also expose you to an experience that you’ll wish you were never privy to.
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