2020 Fall Home Improvement

2020 FALL HOME IMPROVEMENT Lincoln Daily News September 24, 2020 Page 33 drain cleaners, which should be used with great caution, often cause noxious fumes in the house or corroded drain lines which later prematurely fail. More serious clogs and leaks should be dealt with by professionals. Some plumbers offer drain clearing services, but there are professionals who specialize in “rodding” drain pipes and clearing obstructions. In aging homes, drain pipes beneath the concrete basement floor often become congested because they have rusted and are no longer smooth inside, causing frequent clogs. A professional with good rodding equipment can restore the original smooth finish to hidden steel drain pipes, and the problems go away for longer periods of time. John Roche from Fitzpatrick Construction and Plumbing provides power rodding service to clear home drains. You can reach him at 217-671-0432. How To Clean A Main Line Sewer In homes that have sewer service, there is a section of sewer pipe that connects the inside of your home to the city sewer system. That section is your private sewer line and is your responsibility to maintain. Older sewer lines can collapse over time or become clogged by tree roots (it’s never a good idea to plant a Willow tree in your yard near your sewer line). A short term fix for root-clogged lines is to have them power-rodded by a professional. However, the roots will over time grow back and lines infiltrated by roots often need replacing. Collapsed lines can often be inlaid by professionals with reinforcing pipes or will need to be totally replaced. Outside sewer or septic work often requires big equipment, approval by health departments, and adherence to local building and plumbing codes, requiring professional help. A septic system is a private sewer system, used in rural areas for homes and businesses for the underground disposal of wastes and wastewater. It consists of a pipe leading from the home to what is called a septic tank placed underground in the yard. The septic tank and system is located a safe distance from the potable water well in the yard so that wastewater and freshwater never mix. Continued n