Maintaining your drains is an important part of keeping your plumbing system in good working order. If you don’t perform proper drain maintenance, you could end up with blocked drains, burst pipes, or worse. In any of those cases, cleaning up the disaster after it happens is far worse than taking the time and energy to prevent it. If you’d like to make sure that you’re performing your routine drain maintenance properly, follow these tips.
Rinse Your Drains Regularly
You should regularly rinse out your drains with warm soapy water. Some people think that boiling water is best, but boiling water is potentially dangerous for old pipes and certain types of piping materials, which tend to be weaker. Gentle soap and warm water is enough, especially if you are following the other tips on this list.
Avoid Chemical Cleaners
Chemical drain cleaners claim that they can safely clear away clogs and clean out your pipes. However, they are almost all corrosive and over time they can cause extensive damage. This is especially true of older pipes. If you use these, they will clear clogs but they might also lead to leaks and burst pipes.
Learn How To Properly Clear Clogged Drains
Knowing how to properly clean your drains without resorting to chemical drain cleaners is a must. For small clogs, a mixture fo baking sod and vinegar might be enough to clear it. This process can still be a little corrosive, so it is not something you should do all the time. It is also a good idea to keep a drain snake and to cover your drains with screens to stop hair from going down the drain as much as possible.
Know What and Where Your Stopcock Is
The stopcock is what turns off the water where it comes in from your water mains. In the event of the a burst pipe or other plumbing emergency, you need to know where the stopcock is and how to use it to turn off the water.
Be Cautious What Goes Down The Drains And Toilet
There are some things that can safely go down the drain and many that cannot. FOG – Fats, Oils, Grease – these things should never go down the drain. Even grease-cutting soap can’t make it safe to put these down the drain. You should also avoid washing down any food scraps, unless you have a garbage disposal. The toilet is also not a safe bet for everything either. Wipes, even flushable wipes, should never be flushed down the toilet. Sanitary products and excessive amounts of toilet paper can cause clogs as well.
For Toilet Repairs, Call Master Plumbing
Give Master Plumbing a call at (301) 650-9100, or contact us online to get more information on how our expert plumbers can help you with just about anything plumbing-related! We have received Angie’s List Super Service Award recognition for plumbing and drain cleaning every year since 2007, in addition to the Best Plumber award from Best of Bethesda. We are fully licensed, bonded, and insured, and our service is unparalleled. Give us a call today—you won’t regret it! To see examples of our projects, follow us on Facebook and Twitter!