Inside the average home,
plumbing systems are often lacking care. While you may take care to maintain your water heater and appliances, often pipes are neglected. Your plumbing system is responsible for a myriad of vital functions around your home including providing you with fresh drinking water, but most homeowners have an “out of sight, out of mind” philosophy about their drains. So, here we will explore some tips for maintaining your drain health.
Avoid Store Bought Cleaning Products:
When the water starts to drain slower in your sink or
bathtub, your first instinct may be to reach for a store bought drain cleaning product. Walk down the cleaning aisle in any grocery store, and you are likely to see dozens of different products, but this doesn’t mean they are the right choice for your home. The reality of the situation is that many of these so called clog busting cleaners are incredibly caustic. If the product is powerful enough to dissolve a clog, the chances are it may actually corrode your pipes. Prolonged use of these types of chemicals could mean that you will need to replace your pipes prematurely as they weaken and start to crack. So, err on the side of caution and avoid these types of product.
Schedule Professional Drain Cleaning Each Year:
The most common issue that develops from poor drain maintenance is clogs. Fortunately, clog formation is also one of the easiest problems to keep under control. The vast majority of drain blockages and clogs develop very slowly. Waste begins to accumulate on the walls of the inside your drain pipes, obstructing the water flow a little at a time. Most people only notice this when the pipe has become significantly blocked when they find that water is draining away very slowly. Fortunately, you can address this issue before it reaches this stage with regular drain cleaning. Professional plumbing specialists use tools such as hydro jets to blast any accumulated waste out of your pipes. This not only solves any current clog problems, but it can also decrease the likelihood of clogs developing in the future.
Look Out For Warning Signs:
Finally, keep a look out for any warning signs of an impending plumbing problem developing. If an issue does develop between regular maintenance appointments, don’t just ignore it. Addressing an issue early is easier and quicker than waiting for it to develop into a problem. The biggest red flag of a problem is slow drainage, but watch out for bad smells, noises or any other symptoms that your drains are not behaving as they should.
Drain health is important to keep your home running efficiently. No one wants to deal with the mess and frustration of a backed up drain, so you need to ensure that the drain health in your home is maintained. With these tips, you can prevent many drain issues, but if you do have any concerns, speak to your
plumbing professional for further help and guidance. Don’t wait for a blockage to cause chaos in your home, give your plumbing system some care and attention now.
By Giovanni Longo President Flood Brothers Plumbing
Giovanni Longo is a 3rd generation master plumber who has been practicing his craft and trade in the greater Los Angeles area for well over a decade and a half. A plumbing and hydraulics-engineering innovator, Giovanni’s particular world-class expertise focuses on dealing with challenging sewer system designs as well as resolving complex commercial and residential draining issues. As a certified Flood Mitigation expert, he is also well versed in a wide variety of water damage and remediation solution.
