Clogs can range in severity, from a slow drain to a major sewer backup. Fortunately, you can avoid a clog in the first place by taking care of your home’s drains. The best part is that keeping your drains healthy and happy involves more knowledge than effort and costs very little money!
5 WAYS TO PREVENT CLOGS IN DRAINS
1. Don’t flush any paper but toilet paper.
Manufacturers construct toilet paper in such a way that it will break down in water, allowing it to travel through your drain pipes without creating a blockage. Other similar materials (such as paper towels, napkins, facial tissue, “flushable” wipes, female hygiene products, etc.) are made to hold their shape against moisture. This quality makes these products more likely to clog your toilet, your drain pipes, and your sewer line.
Remember this rule of thumb: just because you can flush it, that doesn’t mean you should.
2. Limit what you put down the garbage disposal.
Your garbage disposal is designed to handle small, soft food scraps left over after a meal. Pretty much anything else should not be fed to this machinery.
Here is a list of what should never go down your garbage disposal:
Coffee grounds
Eggshells
Hard items (bones, seeds, fruit pits, etc.)
Rice and pasta
Starchy and fibrous vegetables
3. Never pour grease down the drain.
Do whatever you can to avoid pouring grease, lard, fat, and cooking oil down your drains, and instead, dispose of these directly into the trash. The farther these substances travel through your drains, the more they cool off. As they cool off, they congeal or solidify, coating your pipe walls. This can start to create a clog or worsen an existing one.
4. Run hot water down your kitchen sink.
When washing dishes, getting some grease or cooking oil remnants down the drain is inevitable, no matter how careful you are. To prevent clogs and help these substances move through your plumbing system, run steaming-hot water down your kitchen sink drain for about 20 seconds after you’re done washing dishes.
5. Use drain guards.
Invest in drain guards for your kitchen sinks, bathroom sinks, and showers. These will prevent food scraps, hair, and other small items from entering your plumbing and causing clogs. If a lot of your family members have long hair, you may want to buy hair catchers for your shower--the only downside is pulling out all of the wet hair they collect.
Have a slow drain? Take advantage of our $69 Drain Clearing Special by calling EZ Flow Plumbing, LLC at (480) 351-1820 and scheduling your appointment today! During normal operating hours only! Monday - Friday 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.