While sewer problems may be unavoidable from time to time, there are some steps you can take to properly maintain the overall health and effectiveness of your home’s sewer lines, including: Only use natural, enzyme cleaners. Stay away from chemical drain cleaners as these can severely damage your plumbing system. Keep your sewer line away from trees, bushes, or plants. This will help reduce the threat of roots infiltrating your sewer line, especially if you have any hairline cracks in your pipes. Avoid sending non-flushable items down the toilet. Wipes, personal hygiene products, coffee grounds, tissues – basically anything other than toilet paper or human waste – should never make its way down your toilet. Replace your home’s old clay or lead pipes. If you have an older home in the North Shore area, it’s likely you have clay pipes or lead pipes. Pipes corrode over the years, so your best bet would be to replace these before you have more costly repairs on your hands. Schedule an annual rooter cleaning service. Yearly drain cleaning services can help keep your sewer lines in peak condition and will significantly extend their overall service life!