If you are having problems with keeping your sewer drains clean at your home, here are a few home remedies that can help keep them clear and prevent you from having to pay an expensive plumber to come out and fix them.
The run down of your sewer system:
The most common problem with sewer drains is that they clog up. This can be very expensive to get fixed since plumbers generally charge about $50 just to show up. Some plumbers will try to sell you chemicals that they claim will keep them clean. The real truth is chemical such as Draino are made with acids, that can be potentially harmful to your drainage system. Not only that, Draino is a thick liquid and has been known to clog the drain worse then it was before.
In a typical home, the drainage system will generally run something like this. Your kitchen sink drain and washer drain will tie together and run either across the house or straight outside. This is because generally your kitchen sink and washing machine are on the other side of the house as the bathrooms. Now on the other side of the house, the shower drain and the bathroom sink will tie into your toilet line. This is because your toilet line is generally a 3” drain, whereas the sink line is only an 1 ½” and the shower is only 2”. So they tie into the 3” line going outside.
Now the 3” will generally turn into a 4” once outside the house and the kitchen sink/ washer line will join together somewhere in the yard. The main reason the lines will join outside is because you don't want a drain line going all the way under your house to meet up with the 3”. If they did, and the line was to collapse, you would be forced to jack hammer up the floor to repair it.
Now the 4” goes out until it either reaches a city trunk line, which is usually a much bigger line, or it goes out to a septic tank. It is always good to know where your city sewer line or your septic tank is, just in case there is a back up in either one of them.
Rock Salt:
The number one problem that service plumbers come across when it comes to drain lines is tree roots. A lot of customers will ask, “How can tree roots break into my line?” The truth is, tree roots are a property nightmare. They crack foundations and driveways, and sewer lines are their favorite target. Think about it, roots grow out to find nutrients for the tree to survive. A sewer line is always moist and it practically carries fertilizer. Once the roots break in, they will begin to grow threw the line, thus filling it up. Once the roots are thick enough, anything that you put down the toilet will begin to catch on the roots, thus clogging it up. Not only that, but the line will begin to crack and eventually cave in.
A home remedy to stop roots from growing is rock salt. Flushing about two cups a week down the stool will help prevent the roots from growing in because the salt will dehydrate and kill the roots. Don't worry about your beautiful tree, the roots you kill in your sewer line will not damage the tree. It will just seek out other places to find what it needs instead. The catch is, if you do not consistently flush rock salt, the roots will keep growing. So stick with it and your line should stay healthy.
Vinegar:
Your kitchen sink line is probably already partially clogged. That is the bottom line. Grease, soap, food, and other gunk that goes down the drain will eventually build up in the line. Over time it hardens up, and then begins to grow. Draino is not the answer. Try a little vinegar instead. Vinegar, or even bleach, will help break that stuff up by eating at it. Also, flush hot water with the vinegar because the hot water will soften the gunk up. This is something you should do often, probably at least 2-3 times a week for safe assurance.
Hot Water:
Hot water is probably one of the best home remedies there is. It helps loosen and break up clogs in sewer lines. This, however, is really only good for sinks and washer lines. For a washing machine, once or twice a week flush 2 loads down the drain of nothing but hot water. I know this may effect your utility bill a bit, but it wont compare to an $80 dollar service charge or higher. With the kitchen and bathroom sink, just run the hot water for about 5 minutes. Believe it or not, it should help. While you run the water, don't be afraid to pour a little bleach or vinegar down the drain either. It will help.
Awesome
Jeff