Last Updated on April 14, 2022 by Kravelv
When you own a home, there is a lot of essential maintenance that you must do; otherwise, you could end up compounding the problem and left with a massive repair bill. One area of your home that you should take care of and maintain regularly are your drains. When you have a problem with your drains, it can turn into a big job to fix.
Below are some tips to help you keep your drainpipes in excellent condition by preventing clogs and the like and mitigate the chances that you will need a significant repair any time soon.
Be Careful What Goes Down Your Drains
One of the biggest causes of blocked drains and pipes is debris building up, and this is entirely preventable from happening. Over time food particles, grease and fat, hair, and other foreign debris can accumulate on your pipes and restrict the water flow. You can notice this when your sink takes longer than usual to drain, or there is a funny noise or even a smell.
If the blockage is too bad, you might need to get a professional, and when they check, a drain CCTV is often used to locate the blockage. There are things that you can do to prevent these from building up, such as adding a screen or drain gate to your sinks to prevent particles from being flushed down the drain, and there are also regular maintenance tips that you can use.
Maintaining Your Drains
The best way to maintain your drains is to ensure that you do not put anything down them that could potentially cause a build-up of particles which can lead to a blockage. As well as having screens on the plug holes, you will also want to stop putting grease and oil down your drain. Instead, you can collect the oil in a container and then dispose of this accordingly. If you use ground coffee in a percolator, you will want to throw the used coffee away in the bin, rather than washing it down the sink.
Once you have used your sink, you will want to run hot water down the sink thoroughly, helping to prevent any build-up of particles or grease. You can also pour a cup of vinegar down the sink and let this sit for 30 minutes, and then follow this with boiling water. Baking soda is also good to use as this can get rid of bad smells and make the sink clean. Put a handful down the sink and follow it with boiling water. You can also use all these methods together if you have a stubborn blockage. All you need is half a cup of baking soda and mix this with half a cup of salt and pour this down the drain. Pour a cup of vinegar down the drain and let this foam for a minute or two, and then follow this with boiling water.
If you have persistent blockages, then you may need the services of a professional to look for the cause of this to fix it once and for all.