Your plumbing systems provide a vital service to the cleanliness and sanity of your home. The primary function of a plumbing system is to bring in clean water and remove waste water, never mixing the two. Sometimes there are breakdowns in the functionality of a plumbing system. While some issues may be more serious than others, sometimes all you really need to do is to stay on top of your plumbing maintenance. Here are some plumbing tips for drain cleaning and maintenance.
Kitchen Drains
Kitchen drains see a lot of use and abuse. Heavy usage from meal prep can leave your drain in disarray. To protect the drains in your kitchen you should always watch what you are putting down the drain. Many times most clogged drains in the kitchen are preventable and the result of misuse of the drain. The primary function of your kitchen drain is to remove dirty water. By putting things down the drain that don’t belong like: large peels, food scraps, trash, plastic, grease, and chemicals you risk ruining the integrity of your drain. Over time debris can get trapped and buildup causing large clogs and a major headache. So the first plumbing tip for drain cleaning and maintenance is to simply watch what you put down the drain.
Tips to Avoid Kitchen Drain Clogs
- Invest in a drain screen to keep debris out of the drain
- Run your garbage disposal often to clear debris and always with running water
- Pour hot water down the drain to help break up buildup on a regular basis
- Deodorize your drain with natural products like baking soda, vinegar, and lemon juice
- Putting ice cubes in the garbage disposal can help break off debris that may buildup on the blades
Bathroom Drains
Bathroom drains also serve a major purpose in the home. Removing waste and wastewater is a tough job and something you don’t really think too much about until there is an issue. Which is why preventative steps are crucial in order to protect the integrity of your bathroom plumbing system. Most clogged bathroom drains arise from hair, soap, and shampoo building up in the shower drain. To keep this at bay you should routinely clean the hair out of the drain. The longer you wait the worse it will get. You may also want to consider investing in a drain screen to keep hair from going down the drain. Another area to consider is the toilet. Only toilet paper and waste you be flushed down the toilet. Never flush trash or other debris, they can get clogged over time, which can lead to a bigger plumbing problem then you really care to deal with.
When dealing with a major drain clog remember it is always best to call a professional plumber, while you could go out and invest in some drain cleaner and a snake you could actually end up doing more harm than good. A professional plumbing will know what tools to use, how to handle specific types of drains and clogs, and know how to handle professional-grade drain cleaners that often contain harsh and hazardous chemicals. For more plumbing tips check out our other plumbing articles.
