Get matched with top sewer cleaners in Windom, MN

One way to save money on sewer lines is to install a sewer cleanout since it makes sewer line maintenance easier. Keeping up with maintenance is key to reducing the cost of repairs, so be sure to schedule annual plumbing inspections, install drain guards to stop objects from accidentally falling down drains, and only flush human waste and toilet paper to protect your pipes.

Common drain issues include slow-running drains, whether in a sink or shower, clogged drains, a bad smell, and water backing up into a sink, shower, or bathtub. Causes range from hair, grease, roots, or toilet paper clogging the drainpipes to flooding outside the home, which prevents sewer lines from draining properly.

It can take anywhere from half an hour to a few hours to fix a main line clog, depending on the cause and severity of it. The job should not take more than a day to complete. Keep in mind that the main line is not the same as your home’s sewer lines (which connect to the main line and run to your house). Your city is responsible for any clogs or damage to the main line itself.

Thankfully, it’s pretty rare to find a rat in your toilet. It’s more likely in larger cities with big sewer systems that can be feeding grounds for rats, but even then, you still shouldn’t fret. 

“I wouldn’t worry too much about rats coming up through the sewers,” Bradshaw says. “I’d say only one out of a thousand rodent customers we get actually have this problem. And of the 20 or some customers that have had this happen, they’ve all only had just one rat come up this way.”