One of the most annoying plumbing problems, and one of the most frequent, is the clogged or slow drain. Everyone has dealt with this at some time or another, whether a shower that’s leaving your feet ankle-keep in water at the end or a kitchen sink that’s become impossible to work with because the water just stays there.
Even though these problems are common, people often treat their home’s drains in ways that will make them clog up even faster. It doesn’t take much to keep your drains clear and working well—and our plumbers can help you with professional drain cleaning in Pittsford, NY. In fact, let’s start there…
Regular Professional Drain Cleaning
The most effective way to keep your drains in good shape and make clogs and obstructions into rarities is to schedule routine professional drain cleaning. Homeowners often think of drain cleaning as a job you have done as an emergency measure when a drain is clogged beyond anything a plunger or simple drain snake can fix. This is a good use for drain cleaning, but the job is also a fantastic preventive maintenance measure.
We recommend you schedule pro drain cleaning with our team once a year (it’s best done before November when the big feasting holidays arrive). We’ll use powerful tools to thoroughly scour the drains without damaging them. This makes it much harder for clogs to form in the future, and it helps the drains to last for longer.
No Trash in the Drains
The best way that you can protect your drains is to know what not to put down them, such as trash. This is especially important to remember when dealing with the garbage disposal, which isn’t for actual garbage. Non-organic waste should never go down any drains, toilets, or disposals, but instead in the trash. This includes “flushable” wipes, which aren’t flushable at all. These wipes congeal together to create extremely tough clogs.
Use Drain Covers
We recommend you have drain covers or drain strainers placed in all bathroom, shower, and tub drains. These strainers help to prevent hair and soap scum from getting down the drains, which are major sources of clogging and slow drains. These covers will also stop small objects like lids from going into the drains.
Avoid Chemical Drain Cleaners
Don’t let the lure of an “easy” solution to clogged drains lead you to pouring store-bought chemical drain cleaners down any of your drains. These cleaners don’t really clean the drains, only eat a hole through obstructions and leave behind most of the clog. Worse, the acidic chemicals in these solutions will eat away at the lining of the drain and lead to corrosion that will shorten the pipe’s life.
Keep FOG Out of the Kitchen Drain
FOG stands for “fogs, oils, and grease,” a triple-threat of cooking materials that often get poured down kitchen drains. When hot, FOG looks like a harmless liquid. As soon as it cools, however, it turns into a waxy solid that’s one of the worst things you can have in your drains.
Call us today to schedule drain cleaning. Triple O Heating, Cooling, Electrical & Plumbing Is Your One-stop Shop for HVAC, Plumbing and Electrical.