How to Prevent Clogged Drain Problems

Household drains are designed to help ensure more sanitary conditions, the absence of unpleasant odors, and the proper disposal of food scraps not destined for your trash bin.

That all sounds very positive, right? Well, it IS very positive. But that doesn’t mean everything we place in our drains belongs there.

Here, for example, is a list of many of the most common causes of household drain clogs:

• Using a toilet like a trash bin – Toilets are meant to flush only two things: toilet paper and human waste. Anything else poses a risk of a clogged toilet.

• Using a drop-in toilet freshener – You may love the color blue in your toilet bowl, but these tablets often contain chemicals that wear out working parts inside the tank.

• Pouring FOG down your kitchen sink drain – In this instance, FOG stands for “fats, oil and grease.” Yes, they’re in liquid form once poured down your drain, but over time they solidify and create a formidable barrier, one that eventually can stop the flow of water completely.

• Paints & cleaning products – These products increase the risk of a clogged drain and pollute the environment with phosphates, antibacterial agents and other additives.

Things You Can’t Always Control

Outdoors, you have invisible (to the naked eye) underground sewer pipes. All kinds of things can happen to them that can eventually sneak up on you. Soil can shift, for example, thus causing a separation of two adjoining pipes. Or, if your drain lines are near trees or shrubs, their roots can penetrate the pipes in search of the very material being flushed away. Once inside, roots can grow and multiply until nothing can get past them.

Still, home drainage problems affect even the most conscientious of homeowners. If you’re experiencing such a problem, contact the pros at Best Choice Plumbers. We truly are your best choice to return your drains to full working order.