Most homeowners remember to address periodic duties of home maintenance such as; cleaning gutters and downspouts, inspecting roofs and chimneys, winterizing pipes, and so on. One commonly forgotten maintenance task is to have your main sewer line cleaned.
The main sewer line of your home should be cleaned and maintained so that it does not get clogged and cause nasty water damage and expensive repair bills. Your main sewer line is the place where all the waste from the home gets drained!
What kind of sewer lines does your home have?
Clay sewer lines- you may have clay sewer lines if your home was built before the 1950s. This type of sewer lines have a lot of joints, some with a joint every 3 feet. Tree roots commonly grow into the joints and feed off the water in the line. Once tree roots enter the sewer line they will grow and eventually cause blockage. Rooter-Man recommends that these lines be professionally inspected and cleaned once per year.
Fibre conduit sewer lines- If your home was built in the 1950s or 1960s you may have fibre conduit sewer lines. With the post-war housing building boom underway, the types of pipes then affordable for sewer and drains were limited. A heavier walled version of the fibre conduit was developed through the lamination of several layers of ground wood cellulose fibres. This type of sewer line is commonly reffered to as as “Orangeburg” pipe. Over time it is common for these types of sewer lines to deform in shape, however, tree root intrusion is rare. Rooter-Man recommends that these lines be professionally inspected and cleaned once per year.
Cast iron sewer lines- If your home was built from the late 1960s up until the present its likely you home has cast iron sewer lines. Cast iron sewer lines have less joints and are much stronger compared to clay and fibre conduit sewer lines. However, since the pipe is made of iron rust deposits will form on the inside of the pipe over time and if never cleaned will eventually catch material and cause a clog. Rooter-Man recommends that these lines be professionally inspected and cleaned once per year.
Preventative measures
Just by taking some simple preventative measures you can prevent clogs and backflows from the sewer line. There are certain precautions you need to exercise so that your plumbing system works trouble free.
- Never rinse fats used for cooking and grease in your kitchen sink as it sticks in the sewer line and can clog it. You should instead collect in and throw it away in the garbage.
- It is recommended not to flush anything down the toilet which will not decomposed with water.
- Avoid planting trees near the main sewer line to prevent tree root intrusion.
- Help keep your drain clear by pouring down baking soda with hot water, or vinegar with hot water. It keeps the drain free-flowing and also maintains the sewer line.
- It is recommended that you install sewer backflow devices (SBDs) so that the backflow may be checked.
Yearly maintenance of main sewer line helps you keep any sewer related problems at bay. Therefore, it is highly recommended that you get your sewage line checked on a yearly basis. Call Rooter-Man at 1-866-577-1221 to have your sewer line inspected
