How to Prevent a Clogged Drain

We don’t give our plumbing too much thought until there is a problem with it. A clogged drain is one of the most common plumbing problems and something that will happen in your home frequently unless you take proper precautions to prevent it. Not only is a clogged drain a nuisance to deal with, but it can also cause severe water damage and be a potential health risk.

We’ve put together a few tips to help you keep your pipes clean and to avoid having to call your plumber, though we are here to help when you need us!

• Watch what you put down the drain. Hair, cooking grease, coffee grounds, soap scum, etc. all have a tendency to make their way down our drains. Do your best to keep these away from your drains. Use hair guards on your drain covers, pour cooking grease in a can or other container and throw it away in your trash, and avoid using your garbage disposal as a trash can for your food. This will help prevent the buildup of gunk in your pipes that causes a clog.

• Run hot water down your sink after you’re done cleaning up after meals. This will help prevent grease and food from building up on the walls of your pipes.

• Have a plumber snake your drains every year or so as a preventative measure. No matter how hard you try to keep gunk out, it will still build up. If you have a plumber do regular maintenance on your pipes, you can clean them out before you have bigger problems.

• Every so often, clean out your pipes naturally. You can do this by putting a half cup of baking soda down your drain, followed by a half cup of vinegar, followed by boiling water.

When the inevitable clogged drain does happen in your home, be sure to call us at A Step Above Plumbing, and we will get your drain back in working order in no time.