As a homeowner, there’s a fine line between plumbing repairs that could have been prevented or predicted and those that seemingly pop up out of nowhere. Having said that, the topic of this week’s blog post is going to touch on each of these two categories. For those that have seen our content either on the website or social media, you know we deal with a wide range of plumbing issues. Residential, commercial, new construction, design build, you name it and we probably do it! Our team at Stine-Nichols Plumbing takes pride in truly being a one-stop shop for all of your plumbing needs here in the Kansas City area.
However, you’ve possibly also seen some of our prior sewer line replacement projects over the years. While modern-day technology and advanced sewer line inspection cameras have certainly made this process much easier than it used to be, there’s no sugar coating the process of replacing a sewer line. It requires the help of an excavator and a couple of knowledgeable plumbing technicians to get the job done correctly!
With all of this in mind, our weekly blog this week will revolve around cleaning your sewer line. While oftentimes it’s nearly impossible to predict when a sewer line will fail (because they’re buried underground), there are a few plumbing hacks we’ve picked up over the years that can be of value to our fellow Kansas City residents. Let’s dive right in and see how you can get the most years possible out of your sewer line!
When to Schedule Sewer Line Cleanings
Even though it’s easy to ignore plumbing issues until something goes awry, we can’t stress it enough that homeowners need to take a proactive approach. While it might not always seem so at the moment, routine plumbing inspections can save you quite a bit in the long run! Whether that be drain cleaning, flushing your water heater or anything else, proactive is ALWAYS better than reactive. Now onto the question of how often you should be having your sewer line cleaned.
A general rule of thumb is to have them cleaned every 18-24 months. For those in older homes that haven’t been cleaned for awhile, you’ll likely want to add this item to your to-do list as soon as possible. Keep in mind though, the 18-24 months listed above is a recommended figure for preventative maintenance. If you’re experiencing issues at the present moment, like a sewer back-up, you’ll likely want your plumber to go ahead and do the video inspection right then. This will give them a clear view of what is the matter and be able to provide the appropriate recommendations moving forward.
Faster Drains
For most homeowners, a slow drain isn’t necessarily the end of the world. But at the same time, it doesn’t take long for a slow drain to also become an annoyance. Well, when you have a bunch of debris built up in your sewer line, chances are this is going to negatively affect the draining speed of your sink, toilets, showers and so on. Our first benefit of sewer line cleaning is it will flush out all of the gunk and get your lines draining quicker!
Cleaning Them The Right Way!
We’ve touched on this next point a few times here on the Stine-Nichols blog. Chemical drain cleaners are usually not the best solution for clearing blockages. Yes, they seem to work great at the time, but there’s definitely hang-ups you should be mindful of. Here’s a quick rundown of why chemical drain cleaners should not be recommended:
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- Damage to your pipes. Essentially, what they do is “liquify” substances that are clogging up your lines. This process creates a chemical reaction, which in turn causes heat. As you might guess, over time, this heat generated can cause some serious wear and tear on the associated pipes.
- Damage to your fixtures. Just as they can cause harm to your pipes, the same can be said for your plumbing fixtures. The strong acids found in these cleaners are capable of wreaking havoc on the enamel-based finish of fixtures, such as sinks or faucets.
- Environmental issues. Last on our list is the environmental impact it can have. In short, after these chemicals are poured down the drain, they go to your septic tank. After that, it can be filtered and even released into the groundwater!
The advantage to having a licensed plumber take the reins on this project? To put it simply, no experienced plumber is going to rely on chemicals to clear up a drain. They’ll use eco-friendly equipment to ensure the project doesn’t cause any adverse effects to your plumbing system or the environment.
Saves Money Over Time
I briefly alluded to this point earlier in the blog, but it’s certainly something worth emphasizing again! As is the case with just about your entire plumbing system, it’s really easy to simply assume your plumbing will do its job until that one day when it doesn’t. Take your water heater for example. You assume there’s always going to be hot water when you hop in the shower each morning, until that one day when nothing but cold water comes out. This can be extremely frustrating! A sewer line is no different.
Considering sewer lines are buried underground, it’s not readily accessible. With that being said, it can be tough for most homeowners to justify investing the money into having it cleaned when there doesn’t seem to be any noticeable issues. After all, a plumber usually can’t come to your house free of charge. Take this scenario as an example of how a small clog can turn into a big headache. In one of your drains, you notice slower than normal speeds. It isn’t a terrible inconvenience, so you let it sit for a few months. Over that time period, that clog can lead to a leak, which in turn will require excavation to fix the problem. That clog which could’ve been cleared up with a routine drain cleaning ends up costing you thousands of dollars.
Strange Smells
A dead giveaway that something is up with your sewer line is when you start noticing funky smells, both in your yard and eventually inside your home. These foul odors don’t make for the most pleasant of living accommodations. Consistent sewer line and drain cleaning, per the timeframes listed above, can go a long way in ensuring you don’t ever have to witness this!
Call Kansas City’s Sewer Line Experts
Here at Stine-Nichols Plumbing, we’re happy to take care of all of your sewer line needs. Whether that means performing routine maintenance, providing camera inspections or replacing failed lines, our residential plumbers have years of experience handling these types of issues. As always, we’re willing to provide free quotes as well for your next plumbing project. Simply fill out this form or give us a call at 816-348-3481. You’ll be directed to our residential operations manager, who will provide all of the pricing information and work with you on scheduling for the work to be completed.
Stine-Nichols Plumbing is located in North Kansas City, MO and currently services the entire Kansas City area, as well as many of the surrounding cities. This includes Parkville, Liberty, Kearney, Overland Park, Olathe and Lee’s Summit.