The holidays are when you tend to entertain, which means cooking, cleaning, and hosting guests who use the bathrooms. However, the summer months bring their own burdens when it comes to your main sewer drain. With this in mind, summer may be a good time to call a plumber for an annual inspection of your sewer line. Here’s why:

First Reason: Tree Roots

Summer is when the trees on your property grow, and this includes their roots. If trees are planted too close to your sewer line, their feeder roots can infiltrate it and eventually clog it. The sewer pipe can become so full of tiny roots that it cracks. Trees that are especially prone to seeking water and nutrients in a sewer line include willows, poplars, and maples.

Second Reason: Bacterial Growth

The heat of summer promotes not only the growth of tree roots but the growth of bacteria in the drainpipes. This leads to bad smells. When clogs and backups develop, the smells alone can become intolerable.

Third Reason: Increasing Water Use

Though there may have been increased water usage during the holidays, there may also be increased water use during the summer. You take more baths and showers, you do more laundry, and, as with the winter holidays, you do more entertaining. Even water from watering the lawn can put strain on your sewer line by saturating the soil, supporting the growth of feeder roots and seeping into pipe joints.

Fourth Reason: The Ground Moves

The heat of a dry summer can make the soil contract and move. When the soil moves around, so do the underground drainpipes. Sometimes, the pipes can move around so much that they crack or belly.

Fifth Reason: Overworked Garbage Disposal

As the garbage disposal was overworked during the winter holidays, it can also be overworked during summer entertaining. Grease from barbecues and outdoor cooking can eventually clog the sewer line and might even clog your garbage disposal.

What Can Be Done

As a homeowner, you need to protect your sewer line in the summer much like you do in the winter. Do not pour grease, oil, or fat down the drain. Instead, pour it into a disposable container. Place drain catchers to stop residual grease, hair, and soap scum from being flushed into your sewer line. Stagger baths, showers, and laundry. Have a plumber check the drain with a video camera to make sure that it’s free of roots and other types of clogs. Use gentle techniques to clear your drains, and avoid harsh chemicals. If you have concerns or require sewer line services, contact Evenflo Plumbing in Corvallis, OR.