Drain and Sewer Basics Every California Homeowner Should Know
When it comes to your plumbing health, two major things should be considered when it comes to your home: Your drains and your sewer system.
Taking care of both of these and having a basic knowledge of how they work can help prevent you from a costly repair down the line.
So our team has provided some useful tips that every California homeowner should know below; let’s start with your drains:
Drain Terminology to Know:
Main Line: Also known as a sewer line, located underground and carrying all wastewater from your home to either a septic tank or municipal connection.
Drain Line: Any line inside your home that connects to any plumbing fixture, such as toilets, sinks, and showers. These lines dump into the main line but won’t affect your sewer system or septic tank.
Traps: A P-trap is the curve in your plumbing system that retains water. This small volume of H20 that gets trapped is there to prevent the sewer gasses from entering your bathroom and prevent odors and protect your health.
Shutoff Valve: Controls the water fixture’s primary water flow. Often under the sink or behind the toilet, they can usually be found where the water pipe enters the room. When a major leak or burst occurs, you’ll want to locate and turn this valve off.
Now that we know some terminology it’s time to talk about one of the biggest sewer issues that can hit a homeowner when they least expect it, sewer backup.
Sewer Tips to Prevent BackUp:
When a sewer pipe is blocked and wastewater can’t flow freely, a sewer backup can occur. This leads to sewage or dirty water coming up from your sink, toilet, or drain. Never an ideal situation for homeowners; however, it is preventable in some cases. To reduce your chance of sewer backup, consider:
- Being mindful of what you flush (only toilet paper)
- Beware of trees or bushes too close to your sewer lines
- Keep grease and oil away from your drains
- Consider lining or replacing older pipes
Older pipes and proper misuse of drains are two of the biggest factors to a sewer backup issue, so with these basics in your pocket now, you can reduce your chance of a plumbing emergency.
Sewer and Drain Repair in Anaheim
If you run into any problems with your sewer lines, do not hesitate to reach out to our professionals here at Barker & Sons Plumbing and Rooter. We offer a number of drain cleaning services, including hydro jet drain cleaning, that will help get your sewer lines back up and running.
