The drains you have in your home are something that you most likely never think of until they happen to become slow or completely stopped up; then they can become a big problem and a huge inconvenience. Bathtub and shower drains keep your family from being able to get ready for work or school when they are clogged, clogged drains in kitchen sinks keep you from preparing food and washing dishes and clogged washing machine drain obviously will keep you from washing clothes.
Here are some plumbing tips on how to avoid clogged drains in the different areas of your home.
KITCHEN
- Never pour grease down the drain – this cannot be emphasized enough and it is the number one reason why kitchen sinks get clogged. Sure that grease pours nice and easy when it’s hot but before it gets far it turns into a solid that collects on your pipes. Hot water may flush the grease out of the system and open the drain.
- Never prep food over the sink – when you are preparing your vegetables and spices for cooking don’t peel and cut directly over the sink; when you do this you will inevitably get some small solid pieces down the drain and these types of things often cause clogged drains over time.
BATHROOM
- Remove hair – after showering, bathing or combing your hair over the sink it is important to take the time to grab a tissue and remove any loose hair that has collected on the drain grate. Hair is the number one cause for sink and bath clogged drains and if you do not remove it from the drain grate it will find its way further down the drain and then it will become a big problem.
- Tissues and Solids – there is no easier drain to stop up in your house then the one on your toilets. They are very sensitive to having too much solid waste go down them because of the way their traps are designed. Be careful to avoid putting excessive amounts of toilet paper, sanitary napkins, kid’s toys and other large bulky items in them that may cause clogged drains.
The Wash Room
- Excessive Lint Items and Stringy Items – these types of fabrics or clothes will more than likely leave some lint or strings building up in your washing machine drain over time and eventually they will cause clogged drains. When washing these types of items use a lint roller to get that off before washing and on items that have fringes or other stringy patterns make sure any of these that are loose are removed before washing.
IN GENERAL
- In general never use a drain for any reason if the grate is not fixed in position to the opening of it; this is just asking for clogged drains to happen.
- Make it a point to go around your house and clean your drain grates as part of any household cleaning schedule.
If you do have a problem with a clogged drain then there are many ways to get the clogged drains unplugged yourself and if not there are many plumbing companies that are available 24 hours a day for emergency service.
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