Avoid Blocked Drains with Preventative Drain Care
Why go through the trouble of figuring out how to clear your clogged drain when you can avoid them altogether? The chance of a serious clog developing in your plumbing drops when you take a little more care and a few proactive steps each year.
The Formation of a Clog
The first sign of a potential clog is usually a foul smell, either from rotting organic matter in a kitchen drain or sewage smells from a bathroom or floor drain. This tells you there are waste products that have become stuck in a section of the pipe under the drain. These items that begin to smell are the foundations of a clog. Gradually, a blockage will form causing slow drainage. The blockage will eventually completely close up the drain system. If no action is taken, permanent damage can occur.
Although, no drain system is built to last forever, measures can be taken to extend a drain’s lifespan by decades.
Preventative Care Measures to Prevent Blocked Drains
Preventative care starts with paying attention to what goes down the drain. Hair is usually the biggest culprit of clogs in bathtubs and showers. By removing the hair from the drain after every shower or a wire mesh filter over the drain will prevent hairs from building up and causing a blockage.
In the kitchen, only water should go down the sink drain. Some organic food products can go into the garbage disposal, but common problem products, such as grease and coffee grounds, should always be thrown in the bin.
If you have floor drains in a basement or laundry room make sure they have suitable drain covers to avoid any debris from inadvertently falling in the drain. Additionally, avoid sweeping any dirt into the drain.
On top of ensuring no items that could cause a clog go down the drain, it is also recommended to clean out your drains twice a year. This can prevent the buildup of biofilm, hairballs and other clog-causing gunk on the inside of the drain.
An extremely easy and cheap way to clean your drains is to pour two cups of white vinegar down the drain followed by flushing the drain with hot water. Wait ten minutes before flushing out your drains so that the vinegar has time to dissolve any particles forming in your drains.
With these preventative care measures, household drain clogs can be a thing of the past. If you do get a stubborn clog that you can’t clear, you can always count on Inspector Jet to unclog any blockage.