The drains in your home are so vital to keeping your house in good shape, and many people don’t actually know how to properly take care of them. Sure, most people know that you can try to DIY a fix for slow drains, but what do the pros have to say about drain cleaning? Loyalty Plumbing LLC, one of the top drain cleaning experts in Spring, TX and the nearby areas, are here to give you some dos and don’ts of maintaining your drains to keep everything flowing smoothly (pun absolutely intended).
The Dos
1.Drain guards: These little things come in handy for sinks, showers, and tubs. Using drain guards will help to protect your drains from the little bits of food, soap, hair, and other things that end up falling in.
2. Hot vs Cold: Knowing which temperature of water to use and when is a helpful tip. Using hot water to do occasional drain clears can be effective, but just as important is understanding when cold water is better…such as when running your garbage disposal.
3.Proper tools: Keeping both a plunger and a drain snake on hand for small clogs is highly recommended by the pros. If it’s more than a small clog, then get a professional drain cleaning service out to tackle the issue.
Proper chemical usage: If you do choose to use a chemical drain cleaner, read ALL instructions very carefully before using and follow them carefully.
The Don’ts
1.Chemical reliance: While the occasional usage of chemical drain cleaners is ok, this shouldn’t be your go-to option. Overusing chemicals can actually do more harm than good to your drains by causing cracks in the pipes.
2.Careful disposal: Don’t pour any kinds of grease, oils, or other fats into your drains. This will solidify and cause clogs. You also want to avoid letting food particles go down the drain for the same reason. While you may have a working garbage disposal, that isn’t a fix-all gadget, and they can easily get damaged by bits of food.
3.Flushing intelligence: Not everything is meant to be flushed! The only thing you should be flushing down your toilet is toilet paper. Even other “flushable” items aren’t reliable when it comes to not clogging up your drains, so just keep it simple and flush only toilet paper.
4.Ignorance is NOT bliss: Don’t ignore known drain issues. If your drains are running slow, smell weird, or are making funny sounds, get a pro out ASAP to check it out.
Keeping your home’s drains running properly can be an easy task if you know what to do and not do. This little cheat sheet should be something that you can pull out if you ever have questions about how to maintain your drains. It’s also smart to keep the info for a good plumber on hand in case the drain problem is more than you can handle at home. Remember: drain care isn’t always as easy as you think!