6 Tips That Will Help You Prevent A Clogged Drains In Your Home

Nobody likes dealing with clogged drains, not only are they an inconvenience, but not treating a clogged drain can also cause detrimental problems to your home’s plumbing system in the long-run.

Luckily, clogged drains aren’t difficult to prevent, all you’ve got to do is take the necessary precautions and be aware of what you’re flushing down the drain. Here are some tips to help prevent clogged drains and keep your plumbing system in tip-top shape.

Install a lint catcher

It’s common for washing machine drains to be backed up thanks to the lint, fabric, and bits of tissue that can get stuck within the hose and cause issues to your drain.

To prevent this from happening, you should purchase a lint trap and install it on the end of your drain hose. When installing your lint catcher, use a zip tie to help hold it in place. You should also monitor the trap and replace it when it’s full.

Don’t pour grease down your drain

One of the worst things you can do is pour grease down your drain. While warm grease will go down the pipe, it’ll solidify after it has cooled and will likely result in an unfortunate clog in your drain.

The best way to prevent this from happening is not to pour any grease or oil down your drain. Instead, pour it into a container and dump it in the trash when it’s full.

Buy a mesh screen

Mesh screens do wonders for your drain – especially in the tub or shower as it’s excellent at catching hair. If you don’t have a mesh screen, hair and soap scum can create nasty clogs that are a pain to remove.

Mesh screens come in all sorts of sizes, so all you’ve got to do is purchase the one that suits your current drain best. Alternatively, you can also replace the stopper assembly with one that comes with a built-in mesh screen.

Collect food waste

Even if you’ve got a food waste disposal unit, avoid shoving your food waste down the unit as it could cause your drain to clog. It’s a better idea to collect your food waste in a container and place it in a compost pile.

If your city doesn’t collect organic waste for composting, you can build your own compost bin. Don’t put meat or other greasy items in your bin, however, as it’ll take too long of a time to break down.

Be careful of what you flush

Toilets are meant for natural waste and toilet paper, that’s about it. It would be best if you weren’t flushing down personal care items into the toilet as they can get stuck in the drains and cause a clog. If you’re in a rental property, this is something that is usually laid out in the tenancy agreement, so if it happens it usually means a broken toilet falls to the tenant’s responsibility rather than the landlord. Since they don’t decompose easily, they’ll also be an additional burden to the water treatment facility.

Rather than tossing these items into your toilet, place them in the wastepaper basket instead. Not only will it be better for the environment, but it’s also better for your drains.

Flush your drains

If you’ve got a low-flow toilet and faucet in your home, they’re great at saving water but aren’t ideal for keeping your drains clear. Since there’s a lower volume of water, debris won’t be carried away as effectively and can get stuck in your drains.

To resolve this issue, you should occasionally flush your pipes with large amounts of water. Take a bucket, fill it with water, and pour it down your toilet while flushing to help keep your drain line clear. If you have a bathtub, fill it with hot water and release it down the drain to achieve the same effect.

If problems persist

If you end up having a clogged drain in your home, don’t just focus on getting it unclogged. In such instances, it may be a more severe issue such as a partially collapsed pipe. To rectify the issue, you should hire a professional to conduct a more thorough check and see what exactly is causing the problem.