One of the most common issues facing any homeowner is a clogged drain. People knowingly put all kinds of things down their drains (hair, grease, fingernails, food, etc), not to mention the objects kids try and stuff down there for fun. Often this can be fixed with a simple plunger or liquid drain cleaner, but these issues can at times be building up unnoticed under the surface. Maybe your drains clog easier than usual, or occur more often. The longer and more frequent the clogging problem, the greater health risk it presents. Keep in mind, every time there is a clog in your drainage system, if effectively cuts off water movement between your house and the sewer system within your area. This can cause damage to your piping, residue buildup and germ contamination issues. So what are some of the common things that can give your drains fits, and how can you prevent them?
1. Foreign Objects: One of the biggest culprits of clogged drains (and often the most unnoticed), is the presence of a foreign object. Foreign objects can take various forms, and can gain access to your drains through various ways, which is why it is important to conduct a normal routine of drain awareness and maintenance. Removal of these small nuisances is often uncomplicated with the right tool, and is usally as simple as locating and pulling out your drain invader. Keep in mind that you do not want to push the object down the drain because it can easily block another pipe!
2. Neglect is another common reason as to why our drains get clogged. Constant use without maintenance can lead to the build up of things such as grease, hard water deposits and dirt particles…all of which seem harmless enough until they accumulate unnoticed in your plumbing. To avoid this issue, you should get in the habit of conducting regular cleanings of all the drains in your home, with a thorough, detailed cleaning to take place every few months.
3. Deteriorating pipes is the last on our list of common drain clogging culprits. There are several reasons for this occurrence, including age, neglect, pipe quality, and so forth. This is something commonly skipped or ignored during home inspections, so it is important for new homeowners to be aware of the condition on their plumbing before purchase. Encountering these problems too late can often lead to expensive repairs and replacement.