When you own your own home, you probably have a lot of different expenses that come along with having that property. There are ongoing costs such as water bills, insurance, property taxes, pest control, and general maintenance that you may not expect when buying a house. But one thing that most people don’t think about until after they own their home is the cost of sewer maintenance. Fortunately, there are a number of ways to prevent your sewer drains from getting clogged. The two most common causes of clogged drains are food waste and hair. Fortunately, it is relatively easy to prevent these items from clogging your drains. Here is what you should know about clogged sewer drains, how to avoid them, and how to unclog them if they happen anyway.
As food waste decomposes in the sewer, it can form a substance called scum. This scum can build up in your pipes, forming a blockage. Food waste can also attract rodents, insects, and other pests that can find their way into your drains and cause them to clog. One way to prevent food waste from clogging your drains is to schedule regular garbage pick-ups. If you have a composting toilet, it can also help by killing organisms that are breaking down food waste. You can also use additives like activated carbon to help clean out your drains.
People often think that sewage water is only for human waste, but that’s not true. Sewage water from homes and businesses can contain hair, paper products, and other debris. Hair can cause your pipes to clog either by growing so long that it traps smaller debris or by creating mats that trap smaller debris. To prevent this from happening, be sure to regularly remove hair from your brush and use a brush with a long handle to reach all sides of the toilet bowl.
The best way to avoid clogged sewer drains is to limit the amount of waste that ends up in the sewer in the first place. The easiest way to do this is to divert as much of your waste as possible to a composting toilet or a septic tank. If you can’t or don’t want to install a composting toilet, there are other things you can do to prevent clogged drains. Here are some tips:
Change your toilet paper. Using fewer sheets of toilet paper reduces the amount of waste that ends up in your drains. While this won’t prevent clogged drains entirely, it can help prevent them from getting too backed up.
Don’t flush diapers or feminine hygiene products. These items are often made from materials that do not decompose, causing them to clog your pipes.
Avoid food and beverage products with lots of additives. These products tend to attract bacteria and cause your drains to clog.
Don’t put oil, transmission fluid, or other chemicals down the drain. These products can cause your drains to clog and should be poured down the sink.
If you find that your drains are clogged, you’ll want to get them unclogged as quickly as possible. The best way to do this is to use a plunger. You can also try using a snake, which can be a bit more effective than a plunger if you don’t have a lot of debris clogging your drains. Another option is to use a chemical called Drano, which can unclog clogged drains in just a few hours.
A clogged sewer drain can be a nightmare, but it is also a preventable problem. By limiting the amount of waste you put down the drain and avoiding the most common culprits of clogged drains, you can avoid this problem altogether. If your drains are still clogged after trying these tips, you may want to consider hiring a plumber to come out and unclog them.