One of the most common plumbing problems in homes, a clogged drain can be a nuisance that you want to get rid of as fast as possible. Whether it's your kitchen sink, bathroom sink, or your shower, it's best to know not only the steps you can take to avoid having a clogged drain but also what to do so that you can get it unclogged. Rather than be perplexed and frustrated, here are some tips to remember.
No
Grease Down The Drain
If you have a habit of pouring grease down your kitchen drain when cooking, you are virtually guaranteeing your drain will soon become clogged. While it may be hot going down, it will soon cool and harden, ensuring little if anything makes its way down the drain. A grease in drains can cause serious problems for the infrastructure in your city. Getting rid of the large masses that form in pipes is an unpleasant and disgusting job. So don’t ever put grease down the drain.
To solve
this problem, pour a few gallons of hot water down the drain since this will
dissolve the grease and break up the clog. If that doesn’t work you could try a
chemical solution. But if the chemicals fail, you will need to call a plumber.
The best way to deal with this problem is to not have it in the first place.
Keep the grease away from the drain!
Keep
Hair and Soap Scum Away From The Drain
When taking a shower, you should do your best to keep hair and soap scum from finding its way into the drain. If you don't, clogged drains will be a problem in your household over and over again. To prevent clogs from hair and soap scum, cover the shower drain with either a perforated hair catcher or a small piece of a mesh screen. This will be crucial if you use your bathtub for bathing your family dog since pet hair will quickly accumulate and lead to a clog.
If you do
end up with a clog, you will need to clear the pipe. There are several methods
to clear the drain. The most popular method is using a drain snake. These long
pieces of flexible plastic have hooks on the side to catch the hair in the
drain. Simple insert, pull out and try not to get sick. If the drain snake
doesn’t work you’ll want to use chemicals to clean the hair. And if that
doesn’t seem to work, you will need to again call on a plumber to help
with the situation.
Place
Leftover Food in The Trash Can
Should your kitchen contain garbage disposal, you may mistakenly think you can put anything and everything down the disposal. However, that's not the case. It will eventually get clogged if you get lax about your disposal and start putting banana peels, corn husks, coffee grounds, and other things down the drain.
Should
this happen, you may be able to use a plunger to loosen the clog. Otherwise,
you'll need to call on a plumber for assistance. Remember, the garbage disposal
is not a trashcan. It can handle many things, but not everything. So make sure
you try your best to throw food away first. If you need help with soup,
consider using a strainer to take out the solids before dumping the liquids
down the drain.
Watch
What is Flushed
Finally,
never flush bulky or dense materials down your toilet. When you do, this will
eventually result in a clog. Keep your use of toilet paper to a minimum, too
much will certainly lead to a clog. Just use common sense and if the toilet
gets clogged, don’t panic.
To get rid of the clog, you'll need to reach for the plunger and use it a few times. Should the clog still persist, you may be able to use an auger to get things opened up once again. If that doesn’t help, you should call a plumber for assistance. They have the tools and experience to take care of the situation.
A clogged drain can turn a great day into one that is anything but great. So remember the tips mentioned here to avoid having a clogged drain. By doing so, you can leave the plunger in its place. And remember, if you need help don’t hesitate to ask! Plumbing problems like clogs can cause house-wide issues to arise. If the clog is moved down the pipe, but not far enough, you will have serious issues.
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