The purpose of drains is to flush away all of the waste away from the home. Consider the fact that a drain clog consists of dirty water, food particles, hair, soap, grease, tissue, and human waste. It is little wonder why blockages can often build up in sewer lines. In order to prevent such blockages, there are many precautions that can be carried out.
Preventing Blockages
The main way to prevent blockages is to ensure what is put down the drain. Only water from toilets, sinks, and baths should be flushed away, along with any human waste and tissue paper. Anything else should be thrown in the bin. Avoid waste such as hair and food scraps getting washed away. It is advisable to place filters over your drains in order to prevent that. Oil, fat, and grease are sometimes poured down the drain. As they are in liquid form when disposed of, most people fail to realize that when they cool down, they congeal. This can easily clog up sewer lines. The best way to dispose of them is to wait for them to cool down then throw them in the bin.
Another way to avoid blockages is to flush drains with boiling water on a regular basis. This helps the build-up of waste and debris to wash away and prevents bacteria and mold from growing. Bicarbonate of soda followed by vinegar can help prevent blockages. It will also prevent nasty odours from entering your bathroom or kitchen.
Avoiding Damage
No matter how careful you are, blockages can still build up in your drains. They can lead to slow water drainage which often results in more serious problems. A serious drain clog can cause water to back up out of the toilets and sinks in your home. This can cause structural damage and can be quite expensive to repair. Health risks are also an issue when dirty water floods into the home.
Say No to Chemicals
The temptation to pour chemicals down the drain to remove clogs should be avoided. Avoid this because it can cause significant damage to the pipes. As the majority of the drainage system is hidden, it can be difficult to determine the cause of the blockage. It is for this reason that it is always best to call in a professional plumbing service. Perfection Plumbing & Drain Cleaning Ltd. can take care of your drain cleaning concerns. Our qualified plumbers have the experience and the right drain cleaning equipment necessary to deal with blockages. We do it quickly and efficiently and only use environmentally safe drain products. We also leave the work area as clean or cleaner than when we got there!
Sources:
What causes blockages?, www.thameswater.co.uk
Common Causes of Blocked Drains, www.ncha.org.uk