Keepng your sewer lines clear and free of clogs can be very important in preventing the need for a full sewer replacement. One key part of this is making sure your main sewer line is kept clear of debris. All homes have a series of pipes that converge and drain into a larger main sewer line that empties into a septic tank or municiple sewer line. When this part of your pipe system becomes clogged or backed up, the result is more than just messy. It can also cause serious health issues for you and your fanily.
Many people are able to keep their main sewer line clean and clear of clogs by paying close attention to what they flush down their toilet or pour down the drain. Even if you are incredibly diligent about this, tree roots can derail all of your plans. Tree roots are the natural enemy of the sewer line. When left unchecked, thousands of dollars of damage can be done to sewer lines by these roots.
How to Prevent Clogs in Your Main Sewer Line:
Create a map of your pipes from your home to the septic tank or city sewer.If there are any trees along the way, mark their location on your map. If you have a lot of trees along the sewer line route, you will need to treat the lines near the trees often with chemicals to keep the pipes from becoming overewhelmed by tree roots.
Drill into the earth above the sewer.You wil need to create a hole that goes abouy 24 inchres (two feet) into the earth above your line. The drilled hole should be about two and half inches in diameter. Take a PVC pipe that is about one and a half inches arouns and 20 inches long and place it in your new hole. Take a threaded adapter with a cap attached and glue it to your PVC pipe. When put on the pipe, the top of the cap will sit about two inches under the ground level.
Add copper sulfate and hot water.Add enough copper sulfate crystals into your pipe to fill it about half way. Carefully pour down hot water into the pipe. Once the copper sulfate has been dissoled by the water, it will penetrate all of the soil arond the pipe and will kill any roots that are trying to find a way into your pipes.
Repeat this process every few months. As long as you have trees, you will have to repeat this process every four months or so.
You should know that using copper sulfate crystals iis not allowed in some areas. This is because the chemical is dangerous for fish. If it is permitted in the area where you live, once a year, you should take about two pounds of the crytsals and pour them down the toilet that drains closest to the main sewer line.
If you cannot use that much copper sulfate, check with your local hardware store to see what other options that can offer you to discourage roots from growing around your pipes.
Other options for keeping your pipes clean and free of tree roots.You should clean out your pipes with an engymatic drain cleaner regularly. You can pour this down your toilets and into each drain in your home. Enzymes can inhibit root growth and detach any remants that are in your pipes.
Use plain water to clean out your pipes.At least once a month, fill all of your bathtubs and sinks with water. You need to open them all at the same time (you may need help) and simultaneously flush all of your toilets. This will send enough water down into your pipes to clean them out. Any clogs that have begun forming will be washed away.
Be careful with what you pour down your drain.You should never let any grease or oil be poured down the drain. When this sits in your pipes it wil solidify and cause a giant clog that can lead to expensive drain repair. or sewer repair. Make sure anything you flush or pour down the drain is biodegradable. If you are careful, you can keep your system clean and clog free.
