When faced with a slow-moving drain in your bathroom or kitchen, it can be tempting to reach for Drano or another chemical-based clog remover (and then following that up with hot water, as per the instructions on the bottle).
But you can take a few other steps that are better for your pipes and plumbing.
Here are five steps you can take when faced with a clog:
1. Clean off the stopper or strainer
It’s impressive what elbow grease can do to remove residue built up on stoppers and strainers attached to sinks. Try manually removing them and cleaning them off first.
2. Grab a handy plunger
Plungers aren’t only great for clogged toilets; you can also use them on sinks and showers. Be gentle with larger plungers, or find a smaller one that will work on the sinks in your home.
3. Check your garbage disposal for clogs
Garbage disposals can break down or become sluggish because of excess food, oils, and grease that sometimes make their way into them. They can also cause clogs. Use our simple tips for making sure your garbage disposal is working correctly.
4. Invest in a drain snake
When the clog is deep, a plunger might not be helpful. Deeper clogs usually respond to drain snakes, devices with flexible wires that “snake” into a pipe and help break up clogs.
5. Get familiar with your drain’s P-trap
A P-trap is the u-shaped portion of your sink’s drain. This part connects your home’s waste to a septic sewer system. P-traps contain some water, but debris can also accumulate. Over time, this means that the P-trap will need to be cleaned out.
The Best Defense Against A Clog is a Good Offense
Here are a few ways you can prevent clogs and slow drains before they happen:
- Make sure you always dispose of grease and oil the right way. Whenever possible, find alternate methods of dumping them to prevent buildup inside your drains.
- Keep coffee grounds, pulpy fruits and vegetables, and foods that expand with water out of your sink. These types of foods can clump together and cause clogs over time.
- Regularly maintain your garbage disposal. This appliance is one of the places in your kitchen that is most susceptible to clogs. You can use a sink strainer to prevent harmful items from going down where they shouldn’t.
- Use drain covers in the bathroom and kitchen. Whenever you see debris collect in covers and strainers, it’s time to clean them out. These are items that would otherwise go down your drain and cause issues.
- And finally – never flush something that isn’t meant to be flushed.
For any other plumbing issues, or for those clogs that won’t seem to come unclogged, be sure to Call Dixie. Let our professional plumbers help keep everything flowing freely in your home.
Call Dixie, and it’s done!
To schedule a service with Dixie, call 334.328.3570 for Montgomery or 334.246.4914 for Auburn. You can also schedule an appointment online.
