The ideal time to prevent clogged drains is before they come to pass, and you
can do this through a series of maintenance measures, each specially tailored to
the type of drain being blocked and the unique causes of clogs in that
drain.
Bathroom drains usually clog because of coils of loose hairs that become lodged in clumps in the drainage tube and then mix with soap scum, forming a gooey glob that quickly blocks the drain. This type of drain blockage can be prevented by installation of a wire mesh strainer in the sink and shower tub drains, and checking them ever so often to make sure they are open and working properly. Occasional inspection and cleaning of rubber stoppers is an additional intellegent preventative measure for your bathroom drains. If they are beginning to become hard and worn you need to replace them. Clean pop-up stoppers from time to time, being sure to clear off all the gooey soap and hair scum, stuck to the sides. This can be a disgusting task, but well worth it. Another way to clean the drain is to fill the tub half full of water and then pull the plug. Do this every so often, for example once a week. Pouring hot water down the drain is also good for anti-clog maintenance. Some people do it after every use, whereas others do it as little as once every couple of months.
Toilet drains are often clogged by inappropriate objects flushed down the toilet. No paper product other than toilet paper should ever be flushed down the drain. Wipes, for example, are a big cause of clogged drains. Toys and other objects tossed into the toilet by kids are another cause of blocked toilet drains. Prevent this problem by always placing the toilet lid down and keeping children's toys (other than bath toys at bath time) out of the bathroom.
Kitchen drains are clogged by grease and food products that are dumped down the drain. Hot grease rapidly cools after it has been poured down the sink, and immediately forms gooey and then solid plugs in the tube. Collecting cooking grease in used tin cans or milk cartons that are subsequently thrown away will help avoid the formation of grease clogs. Coffee grounds and other foodstuffs that absorb water should not be dumped in the sink at all, rather they should be tossed into the garbage. Some households have a separate garbage can for organic foodstuffs and use them for feeding animals or producing compost or mulch. Make certain to run hot water down the drain immediately after cleaning greasy pots and plates.
Observe the following four rules to keep your garbage disposal from becoming clogged:
1) Read the manual carefully to learn which foodstuffs may be safely put down the disposal.
2) Place foods in the disposal loosely when getting ready to grind them up.
3) Run cold water during and 1 minute after using the disposal to avoid food build-up in the device.
4) Put the lid on the disposal when it's not in service to avoid having stray kitchen objects fall into it.
In addition to all the causes of indoor drain clogs, outdoor drains can also be clogged by roots and leaves.
Protect the sewer line by putting grates on outside drains to prevent leaves from falling into the sewer, and have your sewer periodically cleaned and video inspected for roots. When roots are found invading your sewer, take special measures as advised by your plumber. This may include cutting the roots with an auger or water jetter.
Certain general steps will head off clogs in all drains. Every so often flush the drains with hot water so as to melt and remove soap, scum, and grease . Chemical drain cleaners can be used on an occasional basis, but too frequent use can cause pipe corrosion. Organic enzyme/bacteria based cleaners promise to dissolve clogs without hurting the pipes.
There are several well known home treatments that help to bust up and prevent clogs.
- Every few days throw a handful (1/2 cup) of baking soda into the drain followed by 1/2 cup vinegar (contains acetic acid, which eats up organic material) and hot water. This concoction is effective for cleaning and deodorizing the drain.
- Pour vinegar into the drain, without the backing soda. After half an hour wash it down with hot water.
- Try this remedy right before going to sleep. Pour 1/2 cup of baking soda,1/2 cup of salt, and 1/2 cup of vinegar into the drain. In the morning rinse the drain out with hot water.
Google+
Resource Box; 1st Choice Plumbing Inc.; 3502 Taney Road; Baltimore, Maryland 21215. Call (410) 967-6547
Bathroom drains usually clog because of coils of loose hairs that become lodged in clumps in the drainage tube and then mix with soap scum, forming a gooey glob that quickly blocks the drain. This type of drain blockage can be prevented by installation of a wire mesh strainer in the sink and shower tub drains, and checking them ever so often to make sure they are open and working properly. Occasional inspection and cleaning of rubber stoppers is an additional intellegent preventative measure for your bathroom drains. If they are beginning to become hard and worn you need to replace them. Clean pop-up stoppers from time to time, being sure to clear off all the gooey soap and hair scum, stuck to the sides. This can be a disgusting task, but well worth it. Another way to clean the drain is to fill the tub half full of water and then pull the plug. Do this every so often, for example once a week. Pouring hot water down the drain is also good for anti-clog maintenance. Some people do it after every use, whereas others do it as little as once every couple of months.
Toilet drains are often clogged by inappropriate objects flushed down the toilet. No paper product other than toilet paper should ever be flushed down the drain. Wipes, for example, are a big cause of clogged drains. Toys and other objects tossed into the toilet by kids are another cause of blocked toilet drains. Prevent this problem by always placing the toilet lid down and keeping children's toys (other than bath toys at bath time) out of the bathroom.
Kitchen drains are clogged by grease and food products that are dumped down the drain. Hot grease rapidly cools after it has been poured down the sink, and immediately forms gooey and then solid plugs in the tube. Collecting cooking grease in used tin cans or milk cartons that are subsequently thrown away will help avoid the formation of grease clogs. Coffee grounds and other foodstuffs that absorb water should not be dumped in the sink at all, rather they should be tossed into the garbage. Some households have a separate garbage can for organic foodstuffs and use them for feeding animals or producing compost or mulch. Make certain to run hot water down the drain immediately after cleaning greasy pots and plates.
Observe the following four rules to keep your garbage disposal from becoming clogged:
1) Read the manual carefully to learn which foodstuffs may be safely put down the disposal.
2) Place foods in the disposal loosely when getting ready to grind them up.
3) Run cold water during and 1 minute after using the disposal to avoid food build-up in the device.
4) Put the lid on the disposal when it's not in service to avoid having stray kitchen objects fall into it.
In addition to all the causes of indoor drain clogs, outdoor drains can also be clogged by roots and leaves.
Protect the sewer line by putting grates on outside drains to prevent leaves from falling into the sewer, and have your sewer periodically cleaned and video inspected for roots. When roots are found invading your sewer, take special measures as advised by your plumber. This may include cutting the roots with an auger or water jetter.
Certain general steps will head off clogs in all drains. Every so often flush the drains with hot water so as to melt and remove soap, scum, and grease . Chemical drain cleaners can be used on an occasional basis, but too frequent use can cause pipe corrosion. Organic enzyme/bacteria based cleaners promise to dissolve clogs without hurting the pipes.
There are several well known home treatments that help to bust up and prevent clogs.
- Every few days throw a handful (1/2 cup) of baking soda into the drain followed by 1/2 cup vinegar (contains acetic acid, which eats up organic material) and hot water. This concoction is effective for cleaning and deodorizing the drain.
- Pour vinegar into the drain, without the backing soda. After half an hour wash it down with hot water.
- Try this remedy right before going to sleep. Pour 1/2 cup of baking soda,1/2 cup of salt, and 1/2 cup of vinegar into the drain. In the morning rinse the drain out with hot water.
Google+
Resource Box; 1st Choice Plumbing Inc.; 3502 Taney Road; Baltimore, Maryland 21215. Call (410) 967-6547
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