We’re sorry to bring you the bad news, but drain clogs are problems that will affect homes at some point. There is no way to prevent every single possible source of clogs. For example, you may end up with clogged drains because of sewer line issues coming from the municipal system. There’s nothing you can do to stop that ahead of time! And sometimes accidents occur and an object gets tipped over into a drain, leading to stoppage.
Now that we’ve been a bit of a downer, we can tell you the good news. You can still prevent most drain clogs. There are many preventable reasons for clogging in drains, and if you know the steps to take, you can keep them away and your drains healthy. (And you can always reach us for help when problems arise. We have emergency services!)
How You Can Eliminate Most Drain Clogs
Here are a few basic ways to see that clogs are rare during the year.
- Schedule drain cleaning – This is the most important step to take to make stopped and slow drains into something you rarely have to worry about. “Drain cleaning” doesn’t mean pouring a bottle of caustic chemicals from the store down each of your drains. That can actually damage them, and it doesn’t do much more than eat through a clog—it won’t clean out the debris left behind. Drain cleaning is a professional service you can arrange with our plumbers. We’ll scour the inside of your drains to remove mineral and organic build-up so the drains are clear. This will make it harder for the build-up to start again.
- Install drain caps and screens – Drains that are wide open can not only allow for objects to be accidentally knocked down them, they also permit smaller objects like hair to easily sluice into them. Drain caps and special screens can be installed into these drains. We recommend these in particular for bathroom sinks, showers, and tubs, where hair is a major problem leading to obstinate clogs. These screens also help stop soap scum, another major problem. You’ll need to clean out the covers routinely so they don’t create stoppages or slow drainage.
- Keep fats, grease, and oils out of drains – This is an important kitchen tip! Always pour fats, oils, and grease (also known as FOG) into a separate container rather than down a kitchen drain. These cooking products do not remain in liquid form when they cool down, and they’ll stick to drainpipe walls until they close off the drain entirely.
- Run hot water down the sink after use – Hot water is effective at washing away FOG and other debris in drains, so after you’re done with the kitchen sink, let a bit of hot water from the faucet run down the drain.
To get started with the first step, drain cleaning in Burlington, VT, you only need to get in touch with our plumbers. Our professionals will see that you have drains that are “like new” once they’re done. This is especially helpful as you move into the holiday season and the drains in your kitchen will see much more work.
