While it’s true that plumbing is not built to last forever, it pays to invest the time and effort in general maintenance. That includes doing what can be done to prevent clogs from forming and triggering a series of unpleasant events. By choosing to take the measures needed to ensure the drains remain clear, you get to enjoy several key benefits. Here are some examples.
The Air is Sweeter Inside the Home
One of the side-effects of poor drain and plumbing care is the development of an unpleasant scent in the home. At first, you may think it’s the upholstery, the carpeting, or something else in the home. After cleaning just about everything and failing to eliminate the odor, you take a whiff of a kitchen or bathroom drain. All of a sudden, it’s crystal clear where the scent is coming from.
Taking the time to periodically use some type of drain cleaning method to clear out any residue collecting on the inside of the pipes does minimize the potential for clogs. It also gets rid of matter that stinks and makes your home smell less than clean.
If you don’t like the idea of using harsh chemicals to clear the drains, try using a box of baking soda and a little white vinegar. The foaming action does help remove some of the residue in the pipes and leaves the drains with a fresher scent.
Not Everything Should Go Down the Drain
There are some things that should never be placed in any of the drains in your home. That includes the drain for the toilet bowl. One of the more important aspects of preventative drain care is to ensure these things end up in the garbage or are recycled rather than flushed or washed down a drain.
In the kitchen, make sure that peels, coffee grinds, and egg shells don’t find their way into the drain. One of the best ways to prevent that from happening is to invest in strainers that snugly in the drain openings. Even if you do like to peel boiled eggs in the sink, it’s easy enough to capture the shell remnants in the strainer then dump the shells into the trash. The mesh used for the strainer will also prevent coffee grounds and the smallest peels from getting into the plumbing.
You may be in the habit of dumping used cooking oils or grease down the drain. Many people think that if they run hot water at the same time they dump the oil into the drain everything will be fine. That’s not the case. You are setting yourself up for the development of a clog that could cause a lot of damage.
In the bathroom, avoid flushing tampons, sanitary napkins, condoms, cat litter, or paper towels. All of these can be placed in a garbage bag and taken out with the rest of the trash.
Choosing to engage in some simple drain care will minimize the potential for clogs and other problems. Talk with a plumber today and pick up a few more tips on how to keep your drains clean and free of any type of issue. Doing so will ensure the plumbing lasts longer and ends up costing a lot less to maintain and repair.
Charlie Teschner started MESA Plumbing, Heating, and Cooling in 1982. Charlie has a journeyman and master plumber’s license. He was raised with a strong work ethic and he now applies those values to tasks such as Longmont, CO heating repair.