Paul's Plumbing Tips

Tips To Prevent Your Drains Blocking

Blocked drains are inconvenient and unhygienic, so it's well worth it to try to prevent this from happening. Once your plumbing clogs, you'll need to hire an expert. Here are some tips to help to avoid this in the first place. 

Place Mesh On All Drains

Make sure to place mesh covers across all your drains, in the kitchen, bathroom and laundry. A major culprit of blocks is hair, and the cover will help to prevent it from going down the drain. Instead, you'll be able to put what the mesh captures straight into the rubbish bin. The screen will also capture lids, wrappers and other small items that unintentionally can end up washing down the drain.

Use Body Wash

Soap might clean your body, but it can form into hard clumps that, over time, clog up the drainage system. Body washes are softer and will flow through the pipes more easily. They'll also make bathroom cleaning easier, by not hardening into lumps on glass shower screens and bathroom tiles.

Don't Pour Oils And Fats Down The Sink

Oils and fats might be liquid when hot, but if you pour them down the kitchen sink, they can quickly cool and harden, blocking the pipes. To dispose of used oil, pour it into a throwaway container, such as an empty butter or margarine tub, to place in the trash.

Shake off Excess Debris And Dirt

If someone in your household works as a gardener, strapper or another job that collects debris, make sure they shake off loose, excess dirt before jumping into the shower. While it may be a touch extra work to do this, it can reduce the chances that your drain will block over time with the added cost and inconvenience. 

Consider Trees And Foliage

Tree roots can infiltrate plumbing pipes and eventually lead to a block. While you can't directly control this growth, consider the possibility when planting shrubs and trees. Be aware of where underground plumbing pipes travel when landscaping.

Schedule Regular Cleaning

Some causes of drain blockages are not easy to prevent, so if you notice water draining too slowly, hire an expert to check the system. Hard water, for instance, can lead to mineral build-up within the pipes. Also, some degree of dirt and other elements can escape down the drain even if you're careful. Make sure not to wait until the situation worsens and blocks completely, causing massive inconvenience and stress.


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