Prevent Your Maple Grove Home from Needing Sewer Repairs
Homeownership means many things. Most of these things are positive, but there are some elements of homeownership that can be daunting, especially when it comes to home repairs such as sewer related needs.
Sewer Repair Prevention
Perhaps of all the things that a homeowner can face, sewer repairs (services) would top the list as being the one least enjoyed. However, they are often part of the life of a homeowner. However, there are things one can do to keep sewer repairs at a minimum. These include the following:
- Not pouring anything down the drains that can cause a buildup — grease, some cleaners, oil based paints, etc.
- Not flushing items such as paper towels, sanitary items, excess amounts of tissue
- Paying attention to any signs – both inside and out – of a sewer problem
Signs Your Sewer Pipes/Lines Need Repairs
Okay. That last one is important. After all, not clogging the sewer system with excess paper, grease and other items may seem like common sense, but what signs are indicative of an impending sewer repair? Here are the things to watch for.
Cracked walls or floors are often telltale signs that the foundation has shifted, some. This shifting may be the result of excess water in the soil due to a broken sewer line. Other indicators of damage would be sinkholes outdoors, and odor both inside and outside.
- Water stains around basement floor drains. These are key indicators that a sewer repair may be in the future (if not the immediate) schedule. The stains are signs that the sewer line is not draining correctly. Since the floor drain is typically at the lowest access point to the sewer, any discoloration at the drain is a good clue that a sewer repair may be needed.
- Do you see and service stickers? If you are merely looking at a house as a potential purchase, then be sure to look for any service stickers. These stickers indicate that sewer repairs have been made at some point. They will often tell you that the property is on a preventative maintenance program for regular cleaning to prevent future sewer repair needs.
- Another thing you need to check when looking at a house, are any “cleanout” plugs. These should be by the basement, the crawl space or outside the house. Before the 1980s, a brass plug was used. If the cap has been replaced with a PVC cap, then it is a good indicator that sewer repairs or a chemical cleaning has taken place.
- A clean out of the sewer lines that was not original to the home can be a good clue that sewer repair has been done and that special care should be taken to prevent any future problems.
- Look around the yard. Are there any large trees growing near where the sewer lines are buried? If so, you may want to have a video inspection of the sewer lines to see if sewer repairs could be needed. This is because tree roots can be especially damaging to sewer lines and you may need to decide what to do about the trees.
Sewer repairs can be extremely expensive, so you want to do your part to keep them at bay.
