DIY Preventative Drain Care Tips to Keep Clogs at Bay

Clogged drains can be a nightmare in every household. They happen at the most unexpected times and are inconveniencing, costly, and time-consuming. Multiple clogged drains in the home can be a sign of a blocked sewer line, and this can spell trouble for your plumbing system. Luckily, the headaches and high costs associated with dealing with clogged drains can be avoided by undertaking preventative maintenance. Read on for some simple DIY tips to maintain your drains and keep clogs at bay.

Invest in the right tools

Clogged drains are bound to happen in the frequently used fixtures such as the kitchen and bathroom sinks and drains. How soon you deal with the clog will determine the extent of the damage caused. If you don't have the right tools to handle the blockage, you may end up with more blocked drains, or even a clogged main line, and this will escalate the cost of fixing them. Consider investing in tools such as plungers, snakes, augers and drain openers. Having these tools around the house will help you unblock a drain immediately even without seeking the services of a plumber.

Watch what you wash

An essential preventative tip for maintaining is watching what goes down your drains. Things such as leftover food, coffee grounds, pet hair and pieces of soap can quickly clog your drains and cause havoc in the home. When it comes to the kitchen rains, ensure that you make use of the disposal and avoid dumping food into the sink. You can install a mesh filter over your kitchen and bathroom drains so that it can trap any debris that may have found its way into the drain. Clean the mesh filter regularly to keep the drains clear.

Run hot water

Kitchen sinks are often exposed to grease from cooked food, and this can accumulate in the pipes over time and cause a blockage. You can prevent the clogging by running pouring hot water into the drain once in a while. Boil some hot water and pour it into the drain after handling greasy foods and utensils. The hot water will loosen any grease that's stuck in the drain and sink trap. It will also loosen other debris as it travels down to the sewer line. Hot water is safer for use as compared to some drain cleaning solutions which can damage your plumbing fixtures.

Contact a reputed plumber if you have difficulties unblocking your clogged drains or have a broken main line.

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