Sometimes, the problems that cause slow drains in your home are due to the pipes outside. Sewer lines are vulnerable to problems like collapsing, roots and blockage that cause the plumbing in your home to become stopped up. The following plumbing repair tips will help you deal with sewer line problems that cause problems with the pipes in your home.

1. Keep Foreign Materials and Chemicals Out of the Plumbing Drain Lines

Foreign materials are a common cause of many sewer line and septic system problems. Therefore, you want to make sure that objects and paper products that are not meant for waste treatment systems do not get into your drains. In addition, avoid using concentrated cleaning products and drain cleaners, especially if your sewer line is connected to a septic system.

2. Protect Your Sewer Lines from Common Tree Root Problems That Cause Damage

If you have trees around your home, you want to be sure that they do not cause problems with sewer lines and other buried utilities. Consider removing trees that are close to pipes, or use a barrier system if you do not want to remove the trees in your landscaping that are too close to the sewer lines. When you replace old sewer lines, make sure that they are a safe distance from trees and do not plant vegetation too close to the new pipes.

3. Retrofit Outdated Sewer Lines with Liners to Prevent Them from Failing

Outdated sewer lines are at risk of failing due to materials that they are made from, such as clay or iron pipes. These materials decay overtime, which can lead to sediments getting into the sewer line or collapsing. To protect the old pipes from failure, you may want to consider having them retrofitted with a liner or have them completely replaced if they cannot be updated with a modern pipe liner.

4. Clean Drains and Keep Them Free of Buildup That Can Cause Serious Problems

There are some areas of your home where residue builds up on the walls of pipes, such as in the drain of the kitchen sink or shower drain in the bathroom. To ensure these areas do not develop more serious problems, routinely clean the drains to remove residue and ensure that they are flowing freely.

These are some tips that will help you deal with the problems outside of your home that cause the pipes to become stopped up. If you need help getting the plumbing in your home flowing again, contact a drain cleaning service or sewer line repair service to get to the bottom of the problem.