The sewer is one of the greatest inventions of civilization, but it is also a nasty business. Nevertheless, it needs to be maintained properly and vigilantly in order to avoid inconvenient overflows – and that is an understatement. If you are rightfully disturbed by the idea of overflowing sewage, here are the essentials of proper sewage pump maintenance.
Grease is the most insidious enemy
According to a grease recycling service, used grease is one of the biggest by-products of modern households, and the interesting thing is we rarely even notice it. That is why people are surprised when they find out the grease caused a sewage problem. Is it possible we are using and disposing of so much grease?
The best way to circumvent this problem is to flat out avoid pouring used grease or cooking oil down the drains in your household. Don’t flush it down the kitchen sink or your toilet bowl. Most people are not aware of the fact that this grease and/or oil solidifies pretty quickly in the drains and subsequently clogs them. The best way to prevent potential sewer problems is to scrape the grease into the garbage.
Garbage disposal is your weak spot
Since their invention, garbage disposal units have been the most amazing allies in the kitchen. However, no matter how robust they appear to be, you have to be careful about what you throw in there. Out of all types of food, you should certainly avoid putting very hard, fibrous and large chunks of food into the disposal. If you are persistent with this, clogs and damage to the mechanism are only a matter of time.
Additionally, use a garbage bag for food scraps that are known to spoil really fast. If you shove them down the garbage disposal, some chunks are bound to be stuck there, and you’ll end up with a rancid smell after a few days. Getting rid of this smell is really hard and you’ve just added a brand new layer of really smelly, rotten food to the potential clog sediment. While you are using your garbage disposal, make sure you are running cold water down the drain to increase the chances of washing it all down.
Those dreaded clogged drains
Every once in a while, it is bound to happen – that dreaded clogged drain creates chaos in your kitchen, your bathroom or your stormwater drain. When such a conundrum finally strikes your house, it’s best to heed the help of professionals. For example, these blocked drains specialists from Canberra perform efficient and quick solutions with inventive tools like high-pressure water jetters and hand eels.
As far as prevention of such clogs goes, it is all about consistency. Every now and then, you need to clean all of the drains in your house. On the one hand, you can purchase strong chemicals that will dissolve anything in their way, but the fumes can be really toxic. Instead, you can create your own drain cleaning combo that involves hot water, vinegar and baking soda. After the pouring, you should leave the mix in there for at least an hour before washing it down with a stream of warm water.
Trees might turn on you
If you live in a house with a sizeable backyard, there is a chance the tree you have planted there years ago is starting to cause sewer problems. As the roots slowly grow over the years, they can damage the piping below them and cause serious issues, especially if the pipes are made of plastic. This, unfortunately, means you will probably have to cut the tree down and take the root out.
Thankfully, we live in a time when sewer repair professionals who can solve any sewage-related problems are only a phone call away. However, you should always take the downtime between the call and their arrival into consideration. Not only that, you should think about preventative measures and methods to protect your personal environment from the bacteria-infested muck. These essentials should at least help you take care of your own sewer and fix certain problems for the time being – at least until the professionals finally arrive.