Do You Have Multiple Backed-Up Drains? It May Be a Main Sewer Clog.

To help you in avoiding future clogs, here are the most common causes of main sewer clogs:

1. Pouring Oil and Grease Down Your Drains

Most people think that it’s okay to do this as long as they pour hot water down the drain afterward. The sad truth is, this never works. By the time the hot water gets to the main drain, it will have cooled down enough to let the oil and grease solidify.

This causes clogs.

To avoid this, never pour oil or grease down your drain. Instead, put them in containers that you can throw away with your garbage later.

2. Throwing Garbage Down Your Toilet

This is one of the major causes of main drain clogs. Sewer lines are only meant to handle human waste and dirty water. Throwing garbage such as diapers, paper and other things that sewer lines are not meant to handle will cause clogs.

To avoid this, simply follow proper waste disposal measures and remember that sewer systems are designed to handle human waste and water only.

3. Shifting Soil

The main sewer line usually runs from your house, through your lawn, and into the area’s sewer system. Sometimes, the soil in your front lawn or at any point along your main sewer line may shift and cause the sewer line to sink or settle into a depression at a particular point along the pipe.

This depression may cause garbage, oil or sewage to collect and build up. Over time, this may cause a clog in your main drain line.

There isn’t much you can do about shifting soil. However, to minimize the chances of it happening again, you can add and compact more soil under the area that your new main sewer line will be passing through.

4. Heavy Vehicles or Machinery Being Operated Above the Main Sewer Line

Just as with the shifting soil, heavy vehicles can cause the main sewer line to bend downwards at a point. Waste collects at this depression and may cause a clog over time.

The best way to avoid this is by not operating heavy machinery or parking your vehicles over your main drain line.

5. Intrusion by Roots

When you have trees or vegetation close to your main drain line, their roots may perforate it and cause it to leak. Leakages attract more roots to the sewer line and this may cause it to clog.

The best and easiest way to avoid this is by making sure your main sewer line is put as far away as possible from plants and trees with strong roots.