At best, a clogged drain can be a nuisance. It can make water sit in your sink, which creates one more thing to clean. At its worst, a clogged drain can cause your entire plumbing to back up. If you are like most people, you know there is no joy in battling a major plumbing problem. To avoid both the best case and the worst case scenario, you have to maintain your plumbing.
Tip #1. Do Not Put Everything Down Your Drain
Simply because something may be a liquid doesn’t mean it should go down your drains. Many people cause a lot of problems with their drain by simply putting the wrong things down it. It may seem cumbersome learning what can and cannot go down the drain, but it will pay off in the long run. The following are some things that should go down your drain:
- Cooking oil
- Food scraps
- Sauces
- Dairy products
- Butter and margarine
- Medicines
- Certain chemicals
Although these household products may seem harmless, they can easily backup your system.
Tip #2. Flush Your Sink with Hot Water
Your drains see a lot throughout the week. Even with the best intentions, something may get into your drain that could potentially jeopardize your water flow. One of the best ways to prevent small problems from becoming large problems is to flush hot water down your drain. Of course, the water should be hotter than the water that comes from your faucet. In addition to helping with minor drainage problems, flushing your drains weekly will help you maintain your drains.
Tip #3. Hire a Plumber to Assess Your System
Another way to maintain your drains is to adopt the hands off approach. You can hire a plumbing professional, like the experts on our team at Steve’s Plumbing and Heating. Whether you have a small plumbing problem or one that affects your entire plumbing system, a professional can help you resolve the problem. Many plumbing companies offer maintenance plans that help you protect your plumbing throughout the year.
If you are facing a plumbing issue and you do not know what to do, start by contacting our team at Steve’s Plumbing and Heating. We are happy to assess your plumbing and give you a quote for services.