Three Tips for Avoiding a Clogged Drain

Drain clogs are one of the most common plumbing issues, but also one of the most annoying. It’s pretty tedious to have to wait for your drain to lower slowly, or have standing water that refuses to recede. But many homeowners are also unaware of how much damage a clogged drain can actually do to your home. Should a plug clear but then create a bigger blockage later, more drains can plug up, pipes can leak or burst under the pressure, and your walls or floors could sustain serious moisture damage.

Want to avoid these issues? Here are our top three tips for avoiding a clogged drain.

Use Your Garbage Disposal Sparingly

Your garbage disposal is a great, valuable tool for allowing you to quickly and sanitarily dispose of food waste. But over-reliance on your disposal system can lead to backup and blockages in your pipes which are difficult to clear. You can’t snake a pipe directly through your sink with a garbage disposal installed, so this involves significant work to disassemble your kitchen sink pipes and clear the blockage. This can also lead to foul odors coming from your drain, and make your kitchen overall much more unsanitary. Dispose of large bits in the trash can, and save the small stuff for the garbage disposal and you’ll find your pipes will be much better off.

Use Mesh Screens Over Drain

Bathroom drains, such as your sink, shower, and bathtub, all have mesh screens over them to catch things that fall, specifically long hair. Hair is the number-one cause of bathroom drain blockages, specifically long hair which grabs on and sticks to other waste to create nasty blockages quickly. If you’re not already using a mesh screen over your drains, consider making the investment in a mesh screen and clean it out regularly to ensure that water continues to flow through easily.

Invest in Regular Maintenance Services

Unless you are meticulous about putting absolutely nothing except water down your drains (which, let’s face it, nobody is) then your drains can and probably will plug eventually. Having your drains regularly maintained is a great way to ensure you eliminate all blockages and other signs of a clog before they can negatively affect your plumbing. Have your home’s plumbing regularly inspected by a professional and you will likely never need to worry about an obnoxious and potentially problematic clog again anytime soon.

Smith’s Plumbing Services has provided high quality repairs, inspections, and maintenance to residents of Tennessee for over 10 years. Our Bartlett plumbers are proud of the reputation we have earned as one of the most dedicated and trustworthy companies in the city, and our A+ Rating with the Better Business Bureau stands as a testament to it. All our repair professionals are highly trained and fully licensed to make sure your issue is fixed properly the first time and you are completely satisfied with the results.