How often do you hear someone say sewer line maintenance is one of their New Year’s resolutions? Probably not that often, but it should be.

Sewer lines move excrement and other waste from your house into the city’s sewer system. This means waste from the bathroom, kitchen, and laundry room. Over time, pipes get clogged and can eventually burst. When they burst, they make a huge mess and cause damage that requires costly repairs. Worse, the wastewater might have bacteria and mold detrimental to your health. Avoid the expense and potential health problems by resolving to follow these eight tips.

Never Pour Grease Down the Sink

There’s no way around it. Grease is bad for the pipes. Wait for it to solidify and then throw it away.

Be Careful What You Put in the Garbage Disposal

Garbage disposal blades cannot break down every type of food with ease. This means that when food bits remain in the disposal, they connect with other food bits and can cause clogs.

Regularly Check for Leaks

From time to time, check for leaks around all the appliances in your house that use water. Any sign of water pooling around an appliance is a warning that there’s a problem with the pipes.

Never Flush Food Down the Toilet

Food causes buildup in the pipes. The buildup will wear the pipes down and, over time, cause them to burst. Furthermore, flushing food down the toilet attracts bugs and mice. The mice attract snakes, and that is the last thing anyone wants to find in their toilet.

If It’s Not Found in Nature, Don’t Flush It

Never flush non-flushable items down the toilet. Even if they seem to successfully flush through, they can cause a clog deeper down the pipe.

Periodically Run Hot Water

Once a month, run hot water (enough to fill a large pot) to remove buildup. Also, from time to time, run water in sinks that you rarely use.

Use Strainers to Prevent Clogs

Put a strainer in each sink to prevent hair and hard-to-break-down food particles from getting stuck in the pipes.

Schedule Routine Maintenance

The piping system is complex. Plumbers have unique tools and years of experience to know how to find leaks and potential pipe bursts before they happen. Have a professional plumber check the sewer line inside and outside the house to make sure everything’s okay.

Don’t Wait to Get Problems with Your Sewer Line Fixed

Our licensed and certified plumbers at All-Out Plumbing in Albuquerque, NM are your best resource to fix any problems you have with your sewer line, so if you need repairs, call us today.