Protecting Your Sewer Line

Your home’s sewer line is an essential component of your overall plumbing system. The sewer line is responsible for carrying all of your home’s wastewater to a sewer main, where it is then transported to a water treatment facility. Your home has only one sewer line to handle all of your wastewater needs; sewer line problems such as leaks and backups can disrupt your daily life until repairs are made. Taking steps to protect your sewer line will thus prevent problems associated with this important plumbing system.

Manage Your Wastewater

Regardless of how much water you use in your home, your sewer line will remain the same size. This means that excessive water use could overload your sewer line and lead to clogs or backups. Using your plumbing wisely and being aware of what goes down your drains will help to keep your sewer line clear and functioning properly. You can reduce your water usage by installing low-flow fixtures such as low-flow showerheads, low-flow toilets, and sink faucet aerators. These devices use less water while maintaining the level of comfort to which you are accustomed. Additionally, take care when using your disposal. Avoid grinding large amounts of food, animal bones, grease and fat, corncobs, or rice and pasta. All of these items can cause clogs in your sewer line that may result in problematic backups. Finally, avoid flushing garbage down your toilets. You should never flush any manmade item except for toilet paper down a toilet; even if items do not clog your toilet’s drain, they can travel through your home’s plumbing to cause sewer line clogs. Keep a wastebasket next to your toilet and keep the lid down to reduce the temptation to flush garbage and prevent items from being knocked into the bowl.

Maintain Your Yard

Because your sewer line runs under the ground of your yard, maintaining your landscaping can play a role in protecting your sewer drain. Trees and shrubs can send roots deep into the ground in search of water. If these roots encounter your sewer line, they can eventually compromise the pipe, causing it to leak. Tree roots may also grow into your sewer line once they’ve found a ready source of water, causing a clog that cannot be cleared via traditional methods. You can protect your sewer line by planting trees and shrubs that do not develop deep or extensive root systems. Talk to your plumber about locating your sewer line and avoid planting in this area—however, keep in mind that roots can travel quite far from the main plant. Physical root barriers buried around your sewer line can help to divert roots before they can infiltrate the pipe. If you do notice that your sewer line suffers from frequent clogs, have your plumber take a look—he can determine the cause of the clogs and, if tree roots are the culprit, suggest a permanent solution.

Sewer line problems should not be handled on your own—always contact a professional plumber for help cleaning up sewage and solving the cause of your issue. Visit our website to find out more about our comprehensive plumbing services in Anderson, SC, including sewer line repair using trenchless technology. You can also find additional tips for maintaining your home’s plumbing, sewer line, or septic tank on our blog.