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The Do’s And Don’ts Of Drain Maintenance

admin • Aug 05, 2016

There are quite a few reasons that you need to call a plumber for, but many of them you can handle yourself. If your local plumber cannot come out to your home immediately, and the task is relatively simple, you may be able to figure out the problem on your own. Many problems like clogs in the sink, can be easily remedied, but there are plenty of things that you need to remember when it comes to doing your own drain maintenance.  Here are some of the do’s and don’ts of proper upkeep of your drains that you should be aware of.

Things To Not Put Down Your Drains

A local Alexandria plumbing company will gladly come to your home when you have a clogged drain. There are quite a few different things that you should not put down your kitchen drain, such as oil and grease. You should also never flush anything down the toilet that should not be flushed. There are plenty of these items such as cat litter, face or body wipes, and tampons. All of these items could stop up your toilet and you could have a major problem on your hands. A lot of home owners do not know that you should not use bleach or bleach based products to clean your bathtub or other drains in your home. There are particles that form when you use these products that can break off and clog the drains or toilets in your home. Lastly, remember to never pour coffee grinds down the drain, for that can cause a horrible problem that may require some very expensive repairs.

Things To Help Reduce Clogs

With so many things that you shouldn’t do to your drains, there are actually a few that can be done to improve drainage. If you use a screen guard or specific drain net on your kitchen and bath drains, you can greatly reduce the accumulation of those horrible clogs. Another way to keep from getting clogs is by constantly cleaning out your drains. If you have long hair, odds are you need to clean your shower drain.

Boiling Water And Ice Cubes Can Be Beneficial

Your local plumber will have many other tips for helping your plumbing. One of those tips is to grind ice cubes in your garbage disposal. This will help to keep your blades nice and sharp. Also, you can pour boiling water down your shower and bath drain about once a month in order to get rid of the excess hair and debris that is in it.

There is a lot that you can do to help keep your drains from backing up. Some of these actions that you can do will actually keep your drains around for much longer. If you ever are concerned or unsure if you can put something down your drains or toilet, the best option is to put it in the garbage. Asking your plumber just what items are safe to flush and which ones are not is the way to go for future reference.

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