How Can I Prevent Clogged Drains?

Clogged Drains Can Go From Minor Issues To Major Catastrophes. Learn How You Can Prevent Them Today!

Most of the time you don’t even have to think about the drains in your kitchen or bathroom. You turn the water on, do your thing and it pours easily down the drain. But sometimes, you’ll notice the water starting to back up or taking its sweet time to make its way below. Chances are you have a drain that’s at least partially clogged - and it’s something you’ll want to address before it becomes a major issue.

Luckily you’ve got the pros at R.S. Andrews on your side! Read on to learn about some of the dangers that a clogged drain can present to your home, and then we’ll share our best tips for preventing clogged drains so you can stop them before they even start.

What Can Happen If My Drains Are Clogged?

Water backing up in your sink or bathtub can be annoying. But it’s also the least of your potential problems if you’ve got a clogged drain. Here are just a few of the additional issues that can plague your home if your drain is clogged:

• Health Problems - If your toilet drain is clogged, then all of that waste material just hangs out in your pipes, providing a perfect home for the growth of bacteria. That bacteria then gets into the rest of your plumbing, spreading disease, setting off allergies and causing skin irritation.
• Foul Smells - As waste accumulates above a clogged drain, it can generate some horrific smells. This can be a sign of more dangerous bacteria, and sometimes the scent itself is enough to make people feel sick.
• Poor Water Quality - Depending on where the clog is, water can back up into other lines, causing the spread of putrid water throughout your home. It might take more than just unstopping the drain to clean up a mess like this.
• Burst Pipes - A clog can increase the pressure inside your pipes. If the pressure gets high enough, it can cause leaks - or worse yet, a full on rupture. This can cause significant water damage to your home and needs to be avoided at all costs.

What Can I Do To Prevent Clogged Drains?

All of this might sound bad, but the good news is that there is a lot you can do to proactively protect yourself from these outcomes. R.S. Andrews is happy to provide these tips so you can keep your drains flowing freely

• Use Your Garbage Disposal For Its Intended Purpose - Some people think a garbage disposal is there to shred up all of your leftover food. That’s not correct. It’s there to take care of incidental food that falls into your drain, but using it as a way to get rid of your old food is going to cause a buildup that can lead to a clogged drain.
• Avoid Food In The Sink - If you don’t have a garbage disposal, it’s vitally important to keep any solid food from going down your drain. Clean all dishes off into the trash can before you rinse them off.
  Keep Grease Out Of Your Drain - One of the worst things you can pour down your drain is grease. Instead, store it in a sealable container until it solidifies, then throw it in the trash.
• Remove Hair & Soap Scum From Drains - Humans and pets alike shed hair in the bathtub, and that hair can create a scaffolding that helps build a clog. If you notice hair or built-up soap scum around your drain, clean it off before it gets down into your pipes.
• Careful What You Flush - Toilets are for two things - human waste and toilet paper. Anything else you flush down beyond that carries the risk of causing a clog. Trust us when we tell you - you don’t want that one to get clogged up.

What Do I Do If I Have A Clogged Drain?

If you’ve already noticed the signs of a clogged drain, there are certainly some steps you can take. Liquid drain cleaners can help, but they are caustic chemicals that can cause their own problems. You can also get a drain snake from a local hardware store and try to clear the drain yourself. But if you’d rather have a professional take care of the issue and make sure there’s no ancillary damage, then R.S. Andrews is here to help. Give us a call at 843-706-5090 or message us online today!