You may not know it, but maintenance on your drains and pipes, is just as important a chore as vacuuming or wiping down surfaces. Carpets need to be vacuumed to rid the home of dirt, dust, and pet hair as well as hidden microorganisms that can be harmful to your health. The same holds true for surfaces; we clean with disinfectants, and bacteria-killing mixtures in order to keep ourselves from cross-contamination and illness; but what about the rest of your house?
Within your walls is an intricate system of pipes and plumbing delivering fresh water and removing waste. Most of the time we only think about these pipes and drains when something goes wrong. However, did you know that you can take preventative measures to keep bad odors, unruly clogs, and broken pipes from happening to you?
Cleaning out your drains as part of your regular cleaning routine can help you avoid damaged plumbing fixtures and expensive repairs. It might be a good idea to set a schedule, whether monthly or quarterly, to clean your drains.
Here are some tips that can help you with the process:
- Avoid harsh chemical drain cleaners. These are great when you already have a massive clog, right? Not always. The thing to keep in mind is that these products work by creating a chemical reaction to dissolve the clog, yet also can damage the pipe itself. Continuous use of drain cleaners will break down your pipes and soon leave you with a costly repair bill.
- Use a plumbing snake to unclog drains. Your local hardware store carries plumbing snakes and they are fairly simple to use. Take your time as you thread the snake into the pipes without using too much force.
- Freshen up drains with a vinegar and baking soda solution. Remember that homemade volcano at the science fair? Same concept. This will help break up particles without eroding the walls of your plumbing fixtures.
- Bad odors can be erased with vinegar and baking soda as well as water. Sometimes just running hot water for a couple of minutes will help push the bad odors out of your plumbing. Sinks that aren’t used often tend to smell as the water in the P-trap evaporates. Typically, the rotten egg odor you smell is sewer gases coming up which are normally protected by standing water in these traps.
- For kitchen sinks, running the disposal with a few ice cubes or a quarter of a lemon or lime will eradicate odors and clean the disposal blades of caked on food. The result is a fresh citrus smell that won’t overpower your senses.
With normal maintenance, you’ll greatly reduce the risk of water problems that come as a result of clogged drains. Watch for drains that don’t drain properly, and consider using a drain trap to keep hair out of your plumbing. Be mindful of what goes down your toilets and kitchen sinks and you’ll save yourself the hassle of a larger problem.
If, however, you do have an emergency plumbing issue that arises, call Restore Pro. Our Water Damage Restoration crew is on hand for your property emergencies. We’ll have the issue repaired and your home restored professionally.
Call us at 1-800-847-0114 to discuss our Water Damage Restoration solutions or visit our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/RestorePro911.
