In order to protect your home’s piping system from clogs that can lead to water damage, it’s important to know more about maintenance of your pipes and how you can repair clogs. These are a few simple ways that you can unclog a drain that’s been blocked by debris. By following these tips you can save money on repairs and lengthen the lifespan of your pipes.
Shower drain
Nearly every shower drain will consistently be clogged by hair. When this happens, water will build up in your bathroom and may lead to flooding. A good way to keep your shower drain clear is by keeping a plumber’s snake on hand to regularly remove hair from the inside of the pipe.
Garbage disposal
Since garbage disposals deal with many different materials, there’s a good chance that eventually they will encounter something that causes clogging. The surest sign that you have a clogged garbage disposal is that your other sink will begin to fill with water. Rather than try to deal with the garbage disposal directly, use a plunger or solvent on the second sink to remove the blockage from the water path.
Grease in your kitchen sink
Never dispose of grease by pouring it down your kitchen sink. Though certain fats may be liquid at heated temperatures, they become solids at room temperatures. This means that the heated grease will travel far into the pipe system, then solidify when it reaches the cool pipes. A clog like this is very difficult to remove, so the best way to combat it is through avoidance. Pour your grease into the trash or a proper receptacle so that it doesn’t damage your pipes.
Proper care of your home’s pipes will lead to less financial and general stress. By following the advice on these common examples of pipes clogs, you are taking the first step to constant, clear piping.