Last week’s article touched upon plants and trees that should be managed to avoid issues with sewer lines. So let’s continue our journey.
Let’s set this up. B’H, you have seven children…boys, girls, old, and young! In one room we see our zeisskiet boychick Mendel throw toys into the toilet. In another part of the house we see Mendel’s older sister, Pessie, getting ready for a date, and washing tons of hair and debris down the sink drain. Pretty soon your house’s plumbing lines look like the BQE at rush hour. Can this get any worse?! Of course it can, because your wife is in the kitchen, cooking up a storm and peeling vegetables over the sink! Now we have a plumbing virus worse than eating a spoiled piece of herring at a kidush.
All kidding aside, it’s important to be mindful of your plumbing and sewer systems. Just as our eyes can be bigger than our stomachs (except at a hot kidush), our home’s plumbing systems should not be overloaded.
Some tips from your friendly neighborhood home inspector, Jay at Bodeck Home Inspections:
- Clean Your Lines Often
One way you can achieve this is by purchasing an enzyme cleaner. Enzyme cleaners come in a great variety of types. Some remove pet stains, but others are useful for cleaning out drainage lines. Any plumbing supply outlet and most hardware stores will have high-grade cleaners for this purpose.
- Get a Snake
Snakes are cheap, and using them is not difficult. Minor clogs that occur inside your house can be removed with little effort using a snake. Snakes won’t cure every problem, but they are good for small clogs. A simple snake will help keep your drains clean, but be careful not to damage your lines.
- Baking Soda and Vinegar
A common cleaning solution a lot of people use to degrease is baking soda mixed with vinegar. The chemical reaction that is caused when these two are mixed is foamy and will bubble. The bubbles will help the baking soda scrape away grease that can be causing clogs.
- Flush Your Lines
If you aren’t dealing with a clog, you can clean your lines by flushing them with water. While doing this, put a little bit of drain cleaner into the water. A toilet is a great place to do this, as it allows a lot of water and cleaner to go down.
- Preventative Cleaning
Cleaning sewer lines doesn’t require a catastrophe to initiate. Put some baking soda into your lines every month or two. This will help scour the walls of the pipes clean and can help prevent problems from occurring. You can also use citrus-based cleaners for this.
- Drain Cleaners Are a Great Option
You don’t want to use abrasive chemical cleaners very often, as they can degrade your pipes. However, a couple of times a year, you can flush drain cleaners down your lines. When you do this, make sure you’re not using too much water or flushing any other drains.
- Look for Professional Drain Cleaning
Not all plumbers have the equipment to clean the main sewer lines. Look for a sewer-cleaning plumber that offers this service, and they will have specialized equipment that can help.
Have a wonderful week, and at Bodeck Home Inspections, “Your safety is our priority” Jay Aron can be reached at 516-417-6111.
Jay Aron is a licensed NYS Home Inspector, and seasoned Electrical Engineer, and owner of Bodeck Home Inspections in Kew Gardens Hills. He is available for home inspections including houses, condos, and co-ops. For more information, call 516-417-6111 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
