Sewer Inspection

When it comes to home maintenance, sewer lines are often an afterthought.

People neglect to look after their drains and pipes since most are beneath the house.

This can turn into a severe and expensive problem if a fix becomes necessary. The way to prevent this is to have a regular sewer inspection service.

Unless there is an inspection, you will not know the state of your sewage lines.

A lot of older homes have Orangeburg pipes that disintegrate over time because of their tar paper makeup.

Some others still have cesspools intact and connected to the sewer lines. These can remain as potential risks even after septic tank installations.

If a house is more than 20 years old, you should call for professionals to inspect the house’s sewer line.

It is common for dirt, debris, and tree roots to clog up these lines.

Grease, along with piled up waste, will cause backups and pipe damage. If severe damage occurs, then excavation will become necessary.

•  After calling a plumbing company, their plumbers will use a sewer line camera for inspection.
• A drain snake is a flexible tool sent along the line with a video camera to better view the pipes from the inside. This camera is waterproof and specially designed to give a better view of your pipes. It connects to a monitor where you and the plumber can inspect lines without having to dig.
• In around five minutes, you will know the state of the line and if anything needs fixing. The plumber will also find out the material used to construct the sewer lines.
• If there are no problems, then it is money well spent as you’ve confirmed that there is no risk for disaster. Many people who found out about their pipes are fine to have enjoyed knowing that there wouldn’t be any problem for them in the future. Others discovered that they had collapsed or worn-down lines that needed replacing.

If problems are found, a new sewer line can be installed through a trenchless method.

With this method, the plumbers pull a new sewer line through the existing sewer.

This eliminates the need for excavating, thus costing a lot less than a full replacement.

A functional drainage system ensures that wastewater transitions to the sewage system without a hitch.

As a part of sewer line inspections, drains are checked to prevent corrosion and waste buildup.

An inspection provides many advantages, including:

• Decrease the risk of damage to the pipelines
• Prevent slow drainage and clogs from occurring
• Improve safety within a home

While an inspection will help find any underlying problems within pipes, you can also do your part.

There are ways to prevent these problems from building up. Here are some helpful tips:

• Avoid flushing non-biodegradable materials like toilet paper
• Put grills on drain openings to prevent large debris from entering
• Remove dirt and mud from cleaning tools before using the sink
• Avoid disposing of unused medicine through a drain
• Use mesh screens to prevent hair and other wastes from entering the drain
• Install a water softener that prevents the buildup of minerals

If you think there’s a clog, you can pour hot water and vinegar to soften the clog.

However, note that those two are only effective on soft organic matter, so if they don’t unclog your drainage, you can move on to using lye.

Lye or caustic soda is a common ingredient in drain cleaners, which can dissolve hair and soap scum and some tough organic materials.

Note that pure caustic soda can burn your skin, so be careful in using it. Also, if it doesn’t work, stop using it.