We’ve all been there: one moment it was working perfectly fine and then the next, the water from the sink is not going anywhere and it looks like you’re having a mini-pool in the kitchen. What do you do? You call up your favorite and trusted plumbing service company, of course! If you have the right partner, this clogged problem will be fixed in no time.
But what if it happens again? And again and again and again? This might be a sign of a bigger, deeper sewer- or pipe-related problem, or maybe because of wrong drain-unhealthy practices.
Here are some things that you can do to avoid having to suffer from this annoying and costly problem:
If you‘re having a drain clog fixed, ask your plumber just how deep the stoppage is. This lets you and your plumber know if recurring clogs are in any way related and similarly helps identify the bigger problem.
Clean off your plate before throwing it in the garbage disposal. Large amounts of food scraps and fatty substances – through pulverization – tend to build up at the bottom of the drain and thus cause blockage.
The only things that you can actually flush are toilet paper and human waste. Anything else – even when the packaging says ‘Safe to Flush’ may cause clogging, so just avoid flushing them altogether.
Pay for a video inspection of your pipes and sewage lines to inspect for breaks, grime, grease, and dips.
Cast iron piping has a life span of 40 years. If your house is older than that, a preventive inspection or maybe replacement is a wise investment.
Finally, never be too shy to ask your most trusted plumbing experts for advice and tips on how to keep your home’s plumbing parts clean and healthy.
Sean Hasle is a third-generation plumber, serving the South Florida area with his family. He is a licensed plumbing, underground utility, and fire contractor.
