Taking care of your home’s drains can help you avoid costly plumbing repairs and emergencies. But if you don’t follow simple drain maintenance tips, your home’s waste pipes can become clogged or break down prematurely.
Food scraps, grease and oil, hair, paper and other items can all clog your pipes and lead to a drain blockage. Here are some key home drain maintenance tips to keep your pipes clear and your septic tank pumping!
Don’t Put Grease or Oil Down the Drain
The best way to keep your home’s plumbing system in tip-top shape is to avoid putting grease or oil down the drain at all costs. This includes anything from pan drippings to bacon grease.
Cooking oils are particularly bad for your pipes, as they can clog up your kitchen sink’s drain lines. Whether you use olive oil, lard, or other cooking oils, you should never pour them down the drain.
Grease clogs up your kitchen’s pipes because it solidifies when it cools down. This can quickly turn the grease into a thick mass that completely closes off your drain. It may take a lot of time and effort to unclog your pipes, but you can avoid this by disposing of the grease properly.
While it’s tempting to pour hot water down the drain to help melt the fats and make them easier to remove, this is a temporary solution that doesn’t solve the problem. Instead, it just pushes them further down your pipes, causing further damage that you’ll have to pay for later.
Another common mistake is to pour a large amount of boiling water down the drain after dumping cooking oils and grease down the sink. This seems like it might work, but it just pushes the accumulated grease down further, which can eventually lead to a clog in your main drain line.
In addition to clogging your kitchen’s drains, grease and oils can also harm your sewer system. This is because they can solidify and create a sludge that clogs your pipes, causing overflows and backups that can damage your sewer system.
Rather than dumping copious amounts of grease down the drain, collect it in containers that are able to handle high temperatures and then throw them away when they’re full. You can even put different types of cooking oils in a single container, and once they’re all used up, you can dispose of them in your local recycling center.
Other things you should avoid putting down the drain include antifreeze, ethylene glycol, and ammonia. All of these are harmful to your pipes and should be discarded in a separate location from other household items.
Don’t Flush Paper Down the Drain
Many people think that paper towels and wipes are safe to flush down the drain, but this is not the case. According to plumbers, these items do not break down like toilet paper does and can cause clogs and backups in your home’s plumbing system.
This is especially true if you have a septic tank and use your house’s sewer lines to send waste down the main sewer line. This means that the sewage can eventually flow into the streets or waterways, where it is not good for people or animals.
A recent study from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency found that 92 percent of the items that caused blockages in our sewers were disposable products, including wet wipes and baby wipes. These are the same kinds of products that people substitute for toilet paper when it’s run out.
The reason these paper products do not break down in water is because they are made of a heavier weave than toilet paper. This makes them unable to disintegrate in water and will not only clog your pipes but also damage your septic system.
Some other paper items that are not supposed to be flushed down the drain include dental floss, feminine hygiene products, cotton balls, plastics, and even wedding and engagement rings. Flushing these items will cause the tissue to turn into a net that can catch and trap other debris in your pipes.
These items can also clog up your septic tank and make the motor burn out or fail. In addition, they can leave behind harmful chemicals.
There are many things you can do to avoid having a clogged drain, but one of the most important things is to remember that what goes down your drain will ultimately end up where it should be – in the sewer. Using these tips can help you keep your drains working properly and prevent costly clogs.
Most of us will do anything for our loved ones, which is why it’s easy to forget about what we can and can’t put down the drain. However, if you have kids or guests who might not be on top of their trash habits, it’s a good idea to make sure they are aware of the importance of flushing only sanitary items down the toilet. This will save them from having to worry about clogs and sewer issues.
Don’t Let Food Debris Hang Out
One of the most important things you can do for your home drains is to keep them clear of food debris. It is not uncommon to see remnants of a meal floating around your sink or washing machine, but some are better left where they belong, especially when it comes to clogging up your plumbing system.
There are a few key tricks you can use to keep your kitchen sink drain free from nagging messes. First, make sure you are running enough water when preparing a meal.
Second, avoid the temptation to rinse leftovers down your kitchen sink, and instead, save the scraps for composting.
Lastly, do your homework and learn about the best ways to dispose of waste in your home. Some items to toss include eggshells, fruit and vegetable peels, and even hair.
For the most part, avoiding a clogged drain can be as easy as changing your habits. By using these simple tips, you can keep your home plumbing in good working order for years to come.
Listed below are 13 key home drain maintenance tips to help you keep your sinks and tubs running well. The more you follow them, the less likely you will have to call a plumber down the road.
Keep Your Septic Tank Pumped
If you have a septic system, it is important to keep your septic tank pumped. This will ensure that waste is removed from the tank and transported to the drain field.
Generally, it is a good idea to have your septic tank pumped every three to five years with typical use. However, this can vary depending on the size of your tank and how much solid waste is in your wastewater.
Pumping a septic tank will help to remove sludge, scum and other waste. It will also help to maintain the integrity of your drain field.
It is important to keep your septic tank well maintained in order to prevent expensive problems down the road. The best way to do this is to schedule regular septic tank inspections and pumping sessions with your local septic service company.
You should be able to tell if you need your septic tank pumped by checking for signs of sludge and scum buildup. Sludge and scum forms on the bottom of your septic tank, which is where most of the solid waste collects.
Sludge and scum buildup can cause your septic tank to fill up faster than it should. This can lead to overflowing sewage and potentially back-ups into your home.
During periods of heavy use, it is recommended to have your septic tank pumped at least twice per week. This will break up the heavy flow and reduce the amount of sludge and scum that builds up.
If you are planning to hold a big event or party, it is especially important to pump your septic tank before the big day. Having a large number of people stay in your house for a prolonged period will significantly increase the volume of wastewater entering the septic system.
This can have a significant impact on your septic system, and it can result in costly repairs and sewage backups. It is best to pump your septic tank at least a couple of weeks before you have guests staying so that you can give your system time to get back into shape and avoid problems down the line.
