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4 Effective Ways To Care For Your Residential Drains

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Your drains perform the essential task of directing all the wastewater exiting your home to the municipal sewer system or your private septic system. Unfortunately, you may not fully appreciate their importance until they develop problems and require expensive repairs.

The best way to avoid costly drain repairs is to invest in preventative drain maintenance, which requires taking steps to prevent issues before they happen. Here are some things to do or avoid to keep your drains in tip-top shape.

Don't Pour FOG Into Your Kitchen Sink

How do you dispose of your used or expired cooking FOG (fats, oils, and grease)? If you pour it down the kitchen sink, it may come back to haunt you.

Cooking fats, oils, and grease are not free-flowing substances. After they have cooled, they usually just sit there and build up in your drains, waiting to cause problems for you in the future. The best way to discard FOG is to wait until it has cooled and pour it into a sealable, disposable jar or container. Once tightly sealed, throw the receptacle away with your regular trash.

Keeping FOG out of your drains helps you avoid blockages while keeping more money in your bank account.

Resist The Urge To Flush Everything Down Your Toilet

There are only two things that you can flush down the toilet – human excreta (human pee and poo) and toilet paper. Anything else is deemed non-flushable and should not go down the toilet.

Some examples of everyday items that don't belong in your toilet include paper towels, cat litter, cigarette butts, feminine hygiene products (such as tampons and sanitary pads), and even those "flushable" wipes you recently bought.

Also, avoid using too much toilet paper because it increases the risk of toilet clogs.

Avoid Using Commercial Drain Cleaners

Commercially available drain cleaning products offer quick solutions to slow or clogged drains. However, they can do more harm than good. These chemical products can cause corrosion of your drain pipes and pollute groundwater and surface water sources.

Instead of commercial drain cleaners, consider using plungers and drain augers to unclog your drains. If you can't fix the problem, you can always use an experienced plumber.

Clean Your Drains Regularly

Your drains require regular cleaning to remove the sediment and sludge-like materials accumulating inside over time. In addition to working reliably, drain cleaning eliminates the risk of musty sewer odors infiltrating your home.

Taking good care of your residential drains is essential to maximize their performance and durability and minimize drain repair costs. Contact a plumber to learn more. 


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