Maintenance of Private Sewer
There are some things you can do to help keep your sewer functional with a little maintenance from time to time.
Gravity sewers are generally pretty maintenance free with the exception of a few items.
- Make sure that you don't have any illegal connections
- Things like downspout and outside surface drains to the sewers can flood the sewer and your structure
- Sump pumps can over take the public sewer easily and in turn flood your property with wastewater.
- Make sure clean outs are protected and properly sealed.
- Cleanouts are found inside and outside of most structures.
- A cleanout on the outside of the house can be broken by lawnmower or vehicles driving over them.
- Make sure your cleanouts are watertight and airtight
- You may have more than one cleanout if your structure is more than 100 feet from the public sewer.
- If you have a slow draining sewer but it work after it is jetted by the plumber every few months you have an issue.
- This could be tree roots, broken pipe, separated pipe segments or other issues.
- Pipe materials such as transite and orange burg were used in the area and very poor sewer matierals.
- Clay pipe is allowed, but usually has joints every three feet allowing several places for roots to enter the sewer.
Pumps, Lift Stations and Ejectors
- The pit or wet well should be cleaned every few years.
- Grit, sand and small rocks can get into the pit and can shorten the life of your pump.
- If you are not mindful of your grease, you could plug up the pit and the pump with grease.
- Verify there are no roots growing in to the pit an no other issues with the pit.
- Test the Alarm System
- Most of these systems have an alarm for high water.
- Recommend you test the alarm at least once a year.
- Mark sure the audibale alarm is working and any light alarm as well.