Your Guide on How to Prevent Blocked Drains

The saying that prevention is better than cure is true for plumbing concerns as well. The best way to keep water flowing through your pipes and drains is to make sure you do not do anything that could clog them. With proper use and care, you should be able to keep your drains clog-free for many years.

What Clogs Your Drains

A clog is composed of dirt and debris. These are solid materials that do not flow out into the sewers. These could be organic or inorganic materials, or these could be liquids that have solidified. For instance, oil and grease could form into solid gunk before they get flushed out of your plumbing system.
Clogs can build up over time. You can have small clogs stuck in your drainage. More dirt and waste can stick to these clogs until they cover up the girth of the pipes. The solution to clogged drains would depend on what’s causing the blockage in the first place. The wrong solutions could worsen the problem and result in bigger repair jobs.

Preventing Clogs

There are easy ways to keep your plugholes and drain pipes from getting clogged by any material or substance. Do the following to avoid this grimy plumbing problem:

1. Screen It –

Prevent items and debris that are big enough to clog your drain from going through your plughole. Put a screen right at the mouth of your pipe to catch these solid materials. Plug screens are available in different sizes to fit your drain pipes. Check that each screen sits snugly on the lips of the pipes so no solids can get through.
Common clog culprits that plug screens can catch include food particles, hair strands, soap, and small toys, among others.

2. Watch What You Feed Your Garbage Disposal –

Not everything gets “chewed” thoroughly by your garbage disposal system. Having this kitchen equipment is not a license to stuff everything in it. Reports have shown that food waste is actually one of the reasons for clogging, not only of home drainage systems, but also of broader sewer plumbing systems.
To prevent clogged drains, never feed your garbage disposal system with banana peelings, coffee grounds, or eggshells.

3. Keep the Fat Out –

Cooking oil is cited by many plumbers as the reason for a lot of the emergency calls they receive. Never pour cooking oil down your kitchen sink drain. Even if it does not clog your own drains, it could contribute to the accumulation of food waste that could clog the sewer network. Other similar fatty substances you should never dispose of in your sink drain or garbage disposal are butter, lard, and shortening. In the bathroom, keep your oils, lotions, and creams from getting into your pipes.

4. Be Careful of Chemicals –

You might think chemical decloggers are good for your pipes, but they’re not. While they can melt away or dissolve most clogs, they can also damage your pipes. The can cause leaks or breakage. Use natural decloggers and home mixtures to clear your pipe blockages.

5. Stop the Cold –

In the winter, any liquid that’s trapped in your pipes could freeze. It is recommended that you hire a professional plumber from Spartan Plumbing to insulate your pipes and teach you how to prevent them from freezing.

Have an Annual Check-up

There are many reasons why you can have blocked drains, and the wrong solution can result in even bigger problems (and expenses) for you. Leave the job to the pros. Aim to have a drain and plumbing system inspection at least once a year. A month or two right before winter is a good time to have your inspection by a team from Spartan Plumbing.
The article Your Guide on How to Prevent Blocked Drains is republished from http://spartantucson.com/

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Spartan Plumbing Heating & Cooling
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