By design, the drains in your home are built to handle wastewater with lots of solid and semi-solid materials inside. However, BridgeHaus Managers say this also means that at some point, the drains will become slow due to the non-liquid materials deposited inside them.
This unseen process is at the root of most drain problems in your home. The gradual buildup of debris inside your drainpipes results in slow drains, clogs, blockages, sewer odors, pest infestation of your property, and even sewage backup.
The other side is if you keep your drains free of debris, you can avoid most of the drain problems people face in their homes. But since you can’t stop debris from flowing into your drains, how can you keep your drain lines clean?
In this post, we will outline the five steps for keeping your drains free of debris. These five steps are based on the experience of seasoned professional plumbers. Follow their recommendations if you want drains that will perform optimally and give you little to no problems.
5 strategies for keeping your drains flowing at all times
- Watch what you flush into the toilet
Toilets are built to handle human waste, toilet paper, and water only. Anything else will have the capacity to mess with the function of your drains. That includes so-called flushable items like paper wipes, napkins, or towels. Paper wipes, for instance, will lodge themselves inside the moist environment of the sewer line and refuse to break down.
Items like cat litter swell several times their original size and clog the pipes. Avoid flushing produce stickers, feminine hygiene products, paint, thinner, etc into the toilet. For the best results, you may want to limit yourself to single-ply toilet paper. Double-ply toilet paper feels more comfortable but takes longer to break down inside the sewer line.
- Dispose of food waste properly
Do not use your kitchen sink as a trash can, even if you have a working garbage disposal. For example, never pour fats, grease, and oil (FOG) into your drains. These materials are soft and runny inside your warm kitchen, but they congeal into a hard, sticky mass inside the cold environment of the sewer line.
You also don’t want to dump some food waste into your kitchen sink. Coffee grounds and eggshells act like sand and settle at the bottom of pipes, causing debris to build up inside the line. Starchy foods like rice, pasta, and mashed potatoes swell and block your pipes. Fruit peels and stringy vegetables trap debris inside the pipes.
- Install drain strainers and screens
Do not underestimate the amount of debris you can keep out of your drains by installing a drain strainer. While you cannot stop soap scum or hair from entering the shower drain, a drain screen can keep them out of your drainage system. A drain screen installed over the kitchen sink limits the debris getting into your garbage disposal and drainage pipes.
This low-tech solution is cheap, effective, and easy to use. When installing a drain screen or strainer, ensure it fits perfectly over the drain opening. It is also essential to clean the strainer at least once a week.
- Inspect your drain lines
You should have your entire drainage system professionally inspected every year. A licensed plumber can check your drains for problems and recommend quick solutions. Periodic inspections let you stay up-to-date with wear and tear issues caused by aging, so you always know when your drainage system is due for an update.
A sewer camera inspection is the best way to inspect your drain lines. This inspection offers direct access to the inside of the drain line, letting you see its true condition in real-time. Having your sewer line camera inspected once a year will keep you steps ahead of problems that may interfere with the function of your drain lines.
- Clean your drain lines annually
As previously explained, there is no way to fully prevent debris from entering your drainage system. For instance, solid waste from the toilet and congealed oil from dirty dishwater will always find their way into the sewer line. However, these non-liquid materials do not have to cause problems inside your drainage system.
Cleaning the drainpipes periodically will help remove debris inside the lines. Professional drain cleaning methods like hydro jetting and sewer rodding are the best options for clearing drain lines. The great thing about these methods is they are as good as preventive methods. You don’t have to wait until you have a blockage to use them.
Lastly, the final piece of the puzzle when working to keep your drains free and clear is a reliable plumber. Finding an honest and skilled plumber is vital for the health and longevity of your drains. A good plumber is your eyes and ears to understand whatever is happening inside your drains.