How Often Should the Main Sewer Line Be Cleaned?

Does a houseful of guests suddenly give your main sewer line too much to do? If so, you’re not alone. Many of the sewer lines are simply not big enough to handle all the sewage from showers, toilets, washing machines, and sinks. Your main sewer lines may be old or outdated or it could even be due to the mineral content in the water.
The best answer is that your sewer pipes should be cleaned out periodically. This type of preventive maintenance can replace expensive repair costs later. While it is not always a guarantee that you will not need some sort of sewer cleaning in the future, it could help. However, if you find your shower, toilet or sink is repeatedly backing up, especially after a day of heavy usage, it’s time to call the professionals.
A good rule of thumb is to make sure your main sewer line is cleaned at least once every 18 months to two years. If you do not want to pay for such a service, you may find that video sewer pipe inspection will help detect any problems with blockage or broken pipes. In many cases, tree roots may have entered the sewer pipes and are causing the problems

How Is the Main Sewer Line Cleaned?

There are a number of different ways that a sewer pipe can be cleaned. A hydrojet uses a powerful stream of high pressure water to blast through any obstruction in the sewer lines. This is a very effective means of sewer cleanout.
Another method is from “snaking.” This involves the use of a metal devise down through your sewer pipe to break up any blockage. This sewer machine is one of the most common methods uses to clean clogged drains, as well.

How Do Tree Roots Get in the Main Sewer Pipe?

It only takes  a very small opening, such as a hairline crack in a clay sewer pipe for the tree roots to get inside. Clay sewer pipes can quickly become overwhelmed by these sewer roots and if it’s not taken care of, the roots will continue to grow and cause problems. Getting rid of the tree roots early is important; otherwise, you may find that clay pipes will crack further and possibly break. Most of the snaking devices are able to take care of a sewer root problem.

While everyone’s sewer pipes may require cleaning at different intervals, don’t wait until there is a problem. By having the main sewer line cleaned at regular intervals, you may be able to prevent expensive repairs and service later on.

Let Liberty Plumbing and Septic address any problem you may have with your main sewer line. Our licensed, professional plumbers can get your main sewer line cleaned safely and effectively.