A Business Owner’s Guide to Sewer Maintenance

A lot of business owners overlook the sewer line. After all, the sewer has no direct relation to business affairs. However, how well you take care of your sewer line will determine just how much you spend on your sewer repairs.

If you want to save on unnecessary repair costs, then you must take good care of your sewers. Sewer line care isn’t taught in business school but isn’t an overly complex matter.

Without proper maintenance, your sewer system could be a health hazard. You may also have to deal with some pretty nasty smells from the sewer line. Sewer maintenance is especially important for the restaurant business.

In this piece, we’ll highlight some incredible sewer maintenance tips for business owners. Read on to find out how to keep your sewer in tip-top shape and reduce repair costs.

Sewer Maintenance Tips for Business Owner’s

No doubt, you keep your business premises clean and well organized. It is very easy to overlook the sewer when conducting routine maintenance. The sewer, though underground, could cost your business a lot if not properly maintained.

Here are some priceless sewer maintenance practices you could try out. You can do some of these practices yourself or hire a professional to do the dirty work.

1. Check Material Build-Up Early

For commercial setups, the accumulation of debris in sewer lines happens pretty quickly. When the build-up accumulates over time, it may lead to backflow and blockages. Sewer blockages cause a nasty and smelly situation for your business.

In cases of accumulation, prevention is your best bet. Commercial sewer lines are more prone to blockages since a lot of debris enters the sewer system.

As a rule of thumb, you should consider cleaning your drains at least once a month. Professional drain cleaners will get the job done in no time. There are, however, a couple of factors you should be keen on during drain cleaning.

• Use hot water to flush out any debris in the drain pipes. Hot water dissolves easily any soluble material in the drain pipes.
• Avoid chemical-based cleaners. The ad may have convinced you otherwise, but they are not as good. They can also lead to further complications in the sewer later on.
• Instead, you can settle for a mixture of vinegar and baking soda. These substances will help dissolve accumulated grease and other substances. They are also as effective as chemical cleaners.
• A drain snake can take care of small clogs in your pipes easily. A drain snake or drain auger is easy to use, and you can unclog pipes by yourself.
• If you don’t have a drain cover, consider getting one. Drain covers prevent large debris that may clog your pipes from entering the pipes.

Remember, monthly flushing and cleaning is a good practice for starters. You may change the frequency depending on your sewer system needs.

2. Grease and Oil Blockages

Folks in the restaurant business understand just how a menace grease can be to their sewers. Grease is introduced to the system when you clean utensils or toss food into the system.

You can’t easily tell whether there is grease build-up in the system without a sewer camera.  The other alternative is removing a section of the pipe and looking through the pipe.

Grease blockages are common in restaurant sewer lines. The best way to prevent grease blockages is by installing a grease receptor or grease trap.

You install grease receptors under your sink. As the name suggests, grease receptors receive grease when you wash them off anything. Since grease is lighter than water, it floats and is left behind in the receptor as water flows down the drain.

3. Be Careful With the Trees

Trees add incredible aesthetic value to your business premises. Tree blockages are, however, not uncommon with sewer lines.  It becomes a huge problem when their roots enter your sewer system.

Sewer lines are nutrient-rich areas that roots seek out. Any small opening or crack in the pipes is enough for tree roots to access your line. As the tree grows, the roots do too and they may eventually block the sewer pipes.

Before planting any trees, check for any cracks in your piping system. Even a small crack is leeway for roots to penetrate into your sewer system.

Uprooting trees near the business vicinity may seem like a viable option. This solution, however, is only temporary. Tree roots grow very fast and will soon make your way into the system.

For the root problem, consider using copper sulfate crystals. Sprinkle the area surrounding your pipes with copper sulfate crystals. These crystals are poisonous to the tree so the roots will avoid them completely.

If your business area needs a facelift, then trees are still a viable option. Consider planting shallow root varieties of trees like maple, willow, and ash trees.

4. Other Insoluble Debris

Baking soda and vinegar can take care of soluble debris. There is, however, debris that doesn’t dissolve even with organic solvents.

Most people are guilty of throwing anything down the drain. Sometimes mud from downpour also makes its way into our sewer system. Prevention is your best bet in such cases.

Grates with a fine screen will prevent these substances from entering and clogging your system. You should, however, prohibit the dumping of substance into the drains.

In case you have already clogged your sewer line, yo0u can always use special sewer nozzles. The sewer nozzles are great for removing silt, sludge, or sand from your pipes. Whenever you hydro jet, remember the right nozzle is essential for good results.

5. Sewer Backwater

Heavy storms mostly cause sewer backwater. While we can’t control storms, you certainly can prevent any backwater.

Install a sewer backwater valve and you won’t have to worry about any sewer backwater. This valve works great in maintaining kitchen hygiene for commercial kitchen floor drains.

Sewer Maintenance Made Easy Now

There’s nothing much involved in sewer maintenance. Follow these tips and you’ll have an excellent business sewer system. Remember, you can always have professionals help you in your sewer maintenance.

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