Ah, Spring. Warmer weather, budding plants and a sense of renewal. Many people choose Spring as a time to purge closets, tidy up and thoroughly clean and organize their homes. In the frenzy of spring cleaning, it can be easy to overlook the out of sight or hidden areas of your home, but it’s important to remember that those areas need some TLC, too.
Springtime Drain & Sewer Cleaning
One area you may not think about is your sewer system, but it’s essential to make sure your drains and sewer are clean. Both your sewer and your drains consist of pipes, which bring fresh water into your home and carry the waste water out of it. Over time, your pipes will age, leading to cracks and leaks. And if your landscape has a lot of trees and shrubbery, the risk of roots finding a way into your sewer line is pretty high.
Annual Sewer Maintenance
Keeping up on annual sewer maintenance is one of the easiest ways you can ensure things are always flowing freely in your home. Participation in an annual preventive sewer maintenance program gives you peace of mind knowing this will always be the case.
Sewer & Drain Cleaning Tips
Below are some easy steps you can take to prevent backups and clogged drains in your home this Spring, when all of that rain begins to fall!
- Keep your gutters, downspouts and roof vent pipes clear of leaves and other debris that have accumulated over the (long!) winter months.
- If you’re inclined to do so, inspect all of your water pipes in your home to find leaks or damage to them. You can always call a professional to do this for you, too.
- Install backwater valves on all floor drains to prevent unexpected sewer backups.
- Have a professional rod out any clogged drain lines in your home to clear them before the heavy rain comes and makes your clogs bigger.
- Occasionally pour a bucket or two of water down infrequently used drains to fill the trap and prevent odors and sewer gas from entering your home.
- Use mesh strainers over all main drains like your kitchen sink, laundry tub and bathtub to prevent hair, lint, food and other debris from going down them and clogging them.
- Test your sump pump by unplugging the unit, waiting 30 seconds, then plugging the unit back in. If it kicks on and begins pumping water, you’re good to go!
- Clean your washing machine lint trap to prevent backups while doing laundry.
- Inspect your garbage disposal and give it a good cleaning to keep it in tip top shape. Need an easy recipe to clean and deodorize?
- Pour one half cup of baking soda into your disposal, then pour one cup of vinegar over it.
- Let the mixture sit in your disposal for ten minutes then rinse away with hot water for a minute or two.
If you have a sewer or drain cleaning job that requires a professional, or you just have a question about some of our tips above, reach out to the drain cleaning and sewer cleaning pros at Reid & Pederson Drainage today!
South Suburbs
NW Indiana
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