Whether you are a homeowner or a renter, it’s very important that you know how to prevent issues with your sewer line. Your sewer line is the main pipe that carries wastewater away from your home and to the municipal sewer system. Anything that enters this sewer line should be able to fully exit your property and be carried away by the municipal sewer system!
Therefore, pay attention to the following advice to keep the sewer line leaving your property open and flowing.
What You Should Never Flush Down Your Toilet
My most important advice: Never flush anything except toilet tissue and human waste. As a plumber, I know that humans try to flush many other items down the toilet. Any man made substances other than toilet tissue are not designed to disintegrate in your sewer line or the main sewer system. This is true no matter what the packaging says.
Never flush any of these items:
- Paper towels
- Tampons
- Wipes labeled flushable (it’s just not true)
- Kitty litter
What You Need to Know about Toilet Tissue Labeled “Strong”
Watch out for toilet tissue that is labeled “extra strong,” “extra plus,” “ultra comfort,” or anything similar. These types of toilet tissue are almost paper towels rather than toilet tissue. They do not dissolve easily which can mean clogs in your sewer lines. I say this because I have experience unclogging sewer lines that were jammed up with these types of tissue.
There’s even three-ply and four-ply toilet tissue. What you really want is tissue that dissolves easily. Lighter-weight toilet paper is going to dissolve more easily, preventing sewer line clogs and saving you money.
The Right Way to Use Garbage Disposals to Prevent Drain and Sewer Problems
Water, food and anything else that goes down your garbage disposal also exit via your sewer line. Many people use their garbage disposals as a way to get rid of bones, seeds, eggshells, excess food or peelings, coffee grounds, spoiled food or anything else they want to get rid of. This practice can create serious problems with your sewer line.
Make a habit of scraping off plates or disposing of peelings, coffee grounds, eggshells or excess or spoiled food in the garbage. Whatever residue or particles that remain on your plates can then be rinsed off and ground up in your garbage disposal.
The Older Your Sewer Line, the More Careful You Should Be
If you live in a newer home or a home with newer plumbing, your sewer line may currently be allowing you to flush some of the items that I recommend avoiding. That’s because a sewer line in very good condition is more tolerant. It probably has not yet been penetrated by roots. It’s also likely that roots have not pushed the sewer line upwards in some areas so that your sewage is trying to flow uphill and over that rise. Root growth or earth settling can also cause offsets or places where the pipe is no longer perfectly aligned.
As a sewer line ages, substances that were once flushed without a problem may start to cause problems. The best thing to do is to develop proper practices now, before your sewer line becomes less tolerant. This can help you avoid repairs for a longer period of time.
What to Do When Your Sewer Line Starts Clogging Up
We are called Rocketman Plumbing because we are dedicated to helping homeowners with plumbing problems fast! We know that a clogged, backed-up sewer line is an emergency. To help homeowners or renters avoid contamination or damage to their homes because of sewage line problems, we arrive on the site quickly. Our experienced technicians know how to get sewer lines unclogged and flowing so you can get your household back to normal.
In the greater Albuquerque area, call us at (505) 243-1227 when you have sewer line or plumbing problems to get fast, accurate service.