The city of Reno has an extensive sewer system. This sewer system carries wastewater to a facility where the water gets treated. According to the City of Reno, 710 miles of pipes exist. While the main sewer pipes are maintained by the city, each household that utilizes the city’s sewer system is in charge of maintaining its own lateral pipes.

If you want to do your part to keep the city’s sewer system running smoothly, discover five things you should know about sewer lines.

1. Know How to Properly Maintain Your Sewer Line
One of the worst things that can happen to your sewer line is that it gets a clog. When it clogs, it affects the entire plumbing system in your home. It also can cause wastewater to back up into your drains.

To properly maintain your sewer line, here are some important tips to keep in mind:

Don’t pour grease down your drains or use your toilet as a garbage can.
Keep your sewer lines clear by cleaning them with enzymatic cleaners each month.
When planting trees or shrubs, plant them far enough away from the sewer line so the line doesn’t clog with roots.

Another important tip for properly maintaining your sewer line is to clean it out once a year with a professional plumber who handles sewer lines. A plumber uses two primary methods when cleaning out the sewer line. One is with a drain snake, and another more thorough method is hydro jetting.

2. Know What Causes Sewer Lines to Back Up
Even with proper maintenance, a sewer line can still back up. The most common cause of a backed-up sewer line is clogged pipes. This is why you should be careful about what kinds of things you pour down the drain or flush down the toilet.

Some things are harder to control than others. For example, you can’t avoid soap going down the drain. When soap scum builds up enough, it can cause the pipes to clog. You also can’t usually avoid hair going down the drain in the bathtub. When too much hair washes down the drain, the pipes can clog.

Other common causes of a sewer line backup include tree roots and simple wear and tear. As sewer pipes age, they can crack or collapse, which also causes problems with sewage backup.

3. Know the Signs of a Blocked Sewer Line
When the sewer line is backed up, the first thing you might notice is that all your drains clog at the same time. This often includes the toilet and the drains on the main floor of your home. Other signs of a sewer line backup include:

Drains are slow to empty.
The toilet doesn’t flush properly.
The toilet makes a gurgling noise when water runs.
You have other unusual reactions when using plumbing fixtures.
You have sewage odors in your home.

If you notice any of these signs, don’t use the water, as this could make the problem worse. You may also want to shut off the main water supply to ensure that nobody accidentally runs the water. The next step you’ll want to take is to call a licensed plumber so that they can unclog the sewer line, which will prevent wastewater from backing up into your drains.
In most instances, a plumber will use a camera inspection to see why your sewer line has a blockage. Once the plumber knows the reason, they will unclog it and can give you some recommendations as to how to prevent it from happening again.

4. Know When to Replace a Sewer Line
If you just cleaned out your sewer line and start having problems again right away, it might signify a bigger problem with your sewer line. While nobody likes the thought of having to replace a sewer line, sometimes it’s the only option. Besides persistent clogs, old sewage pipes are another sign that you need to replace the sewer line.

You can gauge the age of your sewage system by how old your home is. If your home has its original sewer line, you should probably replace it. If you’re worried about having to dig trenches in your yard to replace your sewer line, you’ll be glad to know trenchless options exist.

One trenchless method is called pipe bursting. Another pipe system replacement method is called cured-in-place pipe restoration, or CIPP.

5. Know Who to Call for Sewer Line Services
Whether you have questions on sewer line maintenance, you think your sewer line is blocked, or you need to replace your sewer line, contact Easy Rooter Plumbing. Our professional plumbers in Reno have completed 5 million successful service jobs since 1979.

Besides providing high-quality hydro jetting services for drains and sewer lines, we also use the trenchless CIPP method to restore worn sewer pipes.