As with just about every component of your home, your sewer benefits greatly from preventative upkeep. Sewer maintenance is all about making smart decisions about what goes down your drains among other relatively simple tasks that keep your pipes clear. Use these tips to avoid messy, expensive sewer backups and related complications.

5 Simple Sewer Maintenance Rules

1. Never Pour Grease, Fats, or Oils Down Your Drains

Throw grease, fats, and oils away instead of pouring them down your kitchen sink. Grease and oil collect and harden in sewer lines, resulting in blockages and backups. You can also install a grease receptor under your kitchen sink to catch these substances.

2. Know What to Drain & Flush

Avoid flushing any foreign objects down your drains and toilets, including coffee grounds, cat litter, feminine products, cotton swabs, paper towels, and egg shells. Sewer lines are not designed to accommodate these items and will clog.

3. Clean & Protect Yard Drain Areas

Keep leaves, twigs, and other debris away from the drain area in your yard and, subsequently, out of your sewers with consistent sweeping. Good sewer maintenance should also include adding a grate to your yard drain to further protect it from debris. Grates make it hard for large items such as leaves and branches to enter your sewer system and cause clogs.

4. Use Enzyme Drain Cleaners Every Month

Clean your drains with enzyme rather than chemical-based cleaners to keep them and your pipes clear without the risk of corrosion or harming the environment. Enzyme drain cleaners are free of harmful chemicals such as bleach, caustic soda (lye), and sodium silicate. Not only are they eco-friendly, but they are also an effective product that is safe for you to use and won’t corrode your pipes. 

5. Prevent Tree & Shrub Root System Infiltration

Replant trees and shrubs with extensive root systems that are near your pipes to prevent extra stress that will eventually cause them to burst. While you can use chemicals to create poisonous, root-unfriendly areas, installing barrier panels around sewer pipes is better for the environment.

J & J Septic & Sewer Cleaning provides the meticulous sewer maintenance and septic system services you need to enjoy a more functional home. Based in Waterloo, IL, the company offers sewer and septic tank installation, as well as grease trap cleaning and pumping. Call (618) 939-3001 for your free estimate, or visit the website for more information. Like the sewer cleaning experts on Facebook for regular helpful tips.