Clogged drains are one of the grossest things that you are going to have to fix on a regular basis. There are so many ways that a drain can get clogged. It could be hair or food or toys, if you have kids. It could be a problem with the pipes themselves or various other things. If you are unsure of the problem, call in a professional drain cleaning company to come in and take a look down the drain with their sewer snake. This is a device that holds a camera and reaches down the drain into the pipe in order to see if there are any obstructions. If you want to try and avoid sewer repairs and drain clogs then here are a few things you can implement.
Use a Food Catcher in Sinks
Even if you have a garbage disposal it’s a good idea to use a screen or some sort of food catching device in the drain. Throw away as much of the larger chunks of food as you can. This will avoid getting the big pieces stuck in the smaller areas of the pipes like the corners or the P trap. You might have to empty is periodically while doing the dishes in order to allow the water to flow freely through the strainer but it’s worth it to stop as much food as possible from going down the drain. Food is particular gross down the drain because it just sits there and sometimes you don’t know that it’s there until it starts to go bad, moldy and stink.
Wipe Hair on Shower Wall
As you are shampooing and conditioning your hair, if you have long hair, odds are it falls out. It’s a natural process. People loose an average of 100 hairs per day. You might wear your hair up a lot and that keeps the fallen pieces tangled in your hair that’s still connected. If you have curly hair, even if you wear it down there’s more to get caught on as the dead hairs fall out. Then there’s the fact that shampoo and conditioning and running your fingers through your hair loosens the follicle even more and pulls out hairs. Instead of just dropped those hairs to the floor of the shower to go down the drain, wipe them onto the shower wall. If they are wet then they will stick to the tile. Once you are done with your shower, collect the hairs and put them in the trash.
Avoid Using Chemicals to Clean
There are so many different chemicals that are supposed to be fine to put down your drain. However, the more you use chemicals, the worse your drain will get. It might eat through the clog, but it will also start eating away and your pipes. Eventually, you’ll end up having to call a professional drain cleaning company not only to clean it all out but to talk about pipe replacement or repair. If you need to clean your drain, simply try throwing a handful or baking soda down the drain and following it up with vinegar. The combination will cause a natural bubbly eruption that will loosen the dirt and muck on the sides of your drain.
Don’t Wash Down Grease and Coffee Grounds
The main problems particles that end up down the drain are coffee grounds, hair, oil and grease. Coffee grounds tend to stick to the sides of the pipe, hair balls up and gets stuck and oil and grease harden and weaken the pipes. Instead of pouring leftover oil and grease down the drain, try pouring it into a receptacle like a can or bottle and throwing it away. The same goes for coffee grounds. Coffee grounds can go straight in the trash as is or you can begin a mulch pile if you have plants. They make great mulch. We have already covered what to do with hair.
By following these tips you will likely be able to keep the professional drain cleaning companies away for longer periods of time. You might still need their services if something happens to the pipes that is beyond your control. Professional drain cleaning companies will usually also deal with water heater installations, sewer replacement and other plumbing problems.
