Home plumbing issues can cost homeowners hundreds or even thousands of dollars in annual repairs.
Pretty much anything can cause a clog, which can be a frustrating experience for homeowners who deal with slow drains that seem like they just can’t be bothered to let all the water out.
And besides being inconvenient, it’s pretty disgusting too. When that water backs up (especially in a toilet – yuck), it can cause health issues for you and your family as bacteria takes advantage of these kinds of situations.
Hair’s the Problem
Sink and shower drains are the most common to get clogged. You can usually tell this is the case because the water seems to take longer and longer to drain out. And if you find at the end of your shower that there’s enough water at the bottom to take a bath, you definitely have a problem.
The good news is that these types of clogs (especially bathroom sinks) are most commonly caused by hair and that this is a pretty easy problem to prevent.
Install drain covers to catch hair in the shower.
Then check the sink trap for debris that could be causing a slowdown. The trap is the long piece in the sink drain that you can plug to fill the sink.
It isn’t all Garbage
Just because it has “garbage” in its name, doesn’t mean you can put anything in the garbage disposal!
First of all, if it’s not food, it definitely doesn’t meet your disposal’s definition of garbage.
This means no cigarette butts, twist ties, pull tabs, papers, napkins, etc.
Second, just because something is food doesn’t mean that your garbage disposal is going to like it.
If you’ve just fried up a big pan of bacon, don’t dump the grease down the drain. Not only is the high heat bad for it but also when it cools off it will become like sludge, collecting in the pipes and the machine itself.
Also, when putting solid food into the disposal, make sure it’s in small pieces. Dropping a whole raw chicken breast into the disposal unit can cause it to get jammed and shut down.
And of course, no bones. Please, don’t put bones in… it’s a terrible noise and it can permanently damage your garbage disposal.
Speaking of putting things where they don’t belong…Let’s talk about toilets.
Flushing it all away
The only things that belong in the toilet are a reasonable amount of toilet paper and human waste. Keep items like paper towels, feminine hygiene products, and toys out of the flushing zone. They can’t make it around the toilet plumbing and will get lodged causing a clog.
We know accidents happen. As soon as the sink or shower start running slowly, address the problem.
Don’t let common household clogs go unnoticed. Whether it’s in a drain or toilet, be aware of what’s being put into your home’s plumbing.
If a DIY solution like a commercial drain cleaner, isn’t effective, call the professionals at Forrest Anderson.
Contact Forrest Anderson Today!