Clogged drains can potentially cost you thousands of dollars in repairs. When your drains aren’t in proper condition, they begin to smell and get clogged with old food, hair and other debris. With regular maintenance, large repair bills can be avoided. Check out the following five tips to help keep your drains in good condition!
1. Regular Hot Water Flushes
Flushing your drains on a regular basis makes it difficult for blockages to occur. Your kitchen drains take a lot of abuse from food residues, oil and other dirt on a daily basis. Hot water is excellent for moving material trapped in your drains. Regular flushes keep your pipes in good condition and make it easy to move debris through your pipes. The first step for your flush is to boil a large pot of hot water. Slowly pour the water into your drains. Next, let some cold water run through your drains for about a minute then repeat with another hot water flush.
2. Baking Soda And Vinegar Flushes
In addition to hot water flushes, your drains should regularly receive baking soda and vinegar cleanings. Baking soda and vinegar flushes are one of the most recommended methods for keeping your drains smell free. To start, pour a half cup baking soda into the drain followed by a half cup of vinegar. Let it sit overnight then pour boiling hotter down your sink to clear the debris. The chemical reaction from baking soda and vinegar helps to loosen and clear debris in your sink. This is an excellent way to deal with sinks that have a smell even after hot water flushes.
3. Sink Plunger Method
Using a sink plunger is excellent if you begin to notice water backing up. Fill your sink with about 3-4 inches of water using a drain stopper to hold the water. Remove the stopper and use the plunger to plunge the water down the sink. This method is excellent for clearing small blockages by using the force from the plunger. After a few rounds of plunging, do a hot water drain to ensure your sink is completely free of debris.
4. Get Picky About What You Put Down The Drain
The best way to protect your drains is to take control of what you put down them. It can be difficult getting everyone in your household on the same page, however, controlling what goes in your drains makes a significant difference in the frequency you experience drain problems. Any plumber will tell you horror stories about people routinely pouring oil down their drains only to expense horrible clogs that result in costly repairs. Remember to pour your cooking oil into containers that go into the garbage. It’s also important to remember not to abuse your garbage disposal by putting large amounts of food down the drain.
5. Invest In Screens
No matter how hard you try, debris is still going to get down your drains. Investing in fine mesh screens is the best way to keep your pipes free of trash. Plumbers can install mesh screens in your kitchen or shower drain to catch extra debris. You can also get screw-in drain covers which are excellent for keeping material out of your pipes. When looking for screens at the store, look for #20 or #12 size mesh. #12 mesh has around the same diameter as a strand of spaghetti, and a #20 mesh is the size of a grain of sand.
The easiest way to avoid large repair bills is to take good care of your drains. Simply watching what you put down your drains and investing in screens will help you avoid having to call a plumber for repairs. Use these tips to help keep your pipes in good condition!
