You may not know this, but your everyday routine can cause blockage in your sewer pipes. When this happens, water may not flow properly and brings it back up to any drainage holes.
Your house may exhibit the following signs:
- The toilet is unable to flush entirely and creates a gurgling sound
- Wastewater goes in the tub
- One fixture fills when another is draining something
Don’t worry because there are ways to prevent this, and the first step is to identify common causes of clogging. Hairfall when you shower, grease in soap, toilet paper, baby wipes, and tree roots can obstruct your sewage pipes.
Hair
When you come to think of it, it’s better to let paper in the drain because, at least, the paper is biodegradable, unlike hair. Hairfall when showering is normal and unavoidable, so when you find that clump of hair on the drain, don’t get so worried–unless, of course, it’s too much. Just don’t let it go down the drain.
Soap
Soap was invented by mixing fats and wood ash, and this recipe hasn’t changed since. Today, soap contains natural oils, animal fat. When this grease accumulates in the sewer pipes, it can clog the whole thing up. It forms “soap scum,” a hard residue that results from the combination of water minerals and grease.
Toilet paper and baby wipes
Flushing down too much toilet paper can clog the toilet when it doesn’t dissolve well. However, what you should be worried more about are wet wipes. Wet wipes are considered non-flushable because they cannot be dissolved because it’s made up of materials that do not break down.
Tree roots
Tree roots cause more than 50% of sewer clogs. The Tree roots can penetrate old sewer pipes and thrive in them. Roots need moisture and oxygen to survive, and both of these are found in the sewer pipes. Not only do they cause clogs in the plumbing system, but they also cause leakages, letting the air out into the soil.
What you can do
The primary thing you should do is prevent clogging to avoid further damages and expenses:
- Pick up hair clumps every day and throw them in the trash bin.
- Don’t dispose of the waste in the toilet bowl.
- Pour boiling water and vinegar down the drain every week to break down mineral and grease build-up that can potentially clog the sewer lines.
If it’s too late, and your lines have already been clogged, there are chemical remedies to this. A baking soda and vinegar mixture can help dissolve whatever’s clogging your lines. However, this would only work well if you pour in the solution right when it’s fuzzing.
As a result, it may not be the most effective way to unclog your lines. Instead, consider turning to sewer pipe jetting in Utah to thoroughly clean your lines. It uses high-pressure water to clear the pipe of any blockages. This can also be used for maintaining your home’s sewage system.
Clogging is a common problem around the house, but there are ways to prevent this, may it be on your own or with the help of sewer pipe jetting. Identifying little things that can obstruct pipes is essential to preventing them, too.
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