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The drains in your home are the lifeblood of your plumbing system. They are responsible for removing waste from your home, keeping your space clean and safe for you and your family. Imagine your kitchen without your garbage disposal, your toilet without a flush—your home life would be drastically different. However, just because your waste usually disappears without a trace, your drains are not invincible!
Here are the main products you should keep out of your plumbing to avoid the big headache that comes along with expensive repairs.
“Flushable” Wipes
This goes for a lot of package advertising: be wary of false claims on household cleaning products! What is the most dangerous one of all? “Flushable” wipes. These so-called “flushable wipes” are by no means flushable.
However, some people throw them down their toilets on a regular basis. Not to mention, in light of the recent toilet paper shortages, more people are exclusively using flushable wipes in their bathrooms.
Unfortunately, when these wipes do get flushed down your drains, your sewer system will clog, bringing your entire plumbing network to a screeching halt. Since the novel coronavirus outbreak, we’ve seen an uptick in these incidents!
So, from now on, when you see a label that reads, “flushable”, you should put that product back. All it really means is that it will fit down your drains, not that it will break down in them.
Grease
Pouring grease down your kitchen drain is a major no-no. If you’ve just cooked up some bacon and need to get rid of the fat, throw your excess oils into your kitchen trash. It might seem like the most inconvenient choice, but you’ll be happy you didn’t end up with a blocked-up sink! Once oils solidify, they become thick and sticky—your drain will become clog central!
If you’re done cooking and have some leftover grease, simply wait for it to solidify and toss it into the garbage.
Fibrous Foods
What qualifies as a fibrous food? Most carbs and vegetables. Here are a few examples of foods to keep out of your disposal:
- Onion
- Celery
- Eggshells
- Pasta
- Rice
- Potato Peels
All of these items get stuck in pipes or expand when wet. You’ll be in for chronic clogs if you regularly place the above food down your disposal, not to mention, you can break your garbage disposal as well.
Dental Floss
Floss is so thin you’d think it would flow right through your plumbing, without a problem, right? This is not actually the case! Floss can catch on to food, hair, and other objects coming down your drains. And, if it does catch a wet-wipe or a clump of hair—you’ll have to contact a professional plumber for drain cleaning ASAP! You don’t want to end up will a sink full of pooling water.
Chemical Cleaners
Most people don’t have perfect drain habits. Clogs are natural consequences of drain use, especially if you have mineral-rich hard water running through your pipes. If you do have hard water and are experiencing consecutive clogs, you may be tempted to grab the latest and greatest chemical drain cleaner. But don’t! This is actually one of the worst things you could do for your plumbing!
These chemical cleaners use a caustic reaction to superheat clogs, in hopes of breaking them down. Unfortunately, there’s no way for this type of cleaning solution to distinguish between friend and foe—your plumbing and your clog. Chemical cleaners can corrode your pipes, cause them to warp, and crack. Keep the chemical cleaners far away from your drains.
For your drain cleaning needs, contact B & J Plumbing, Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc. at (252) 512-5651. We provide a wide variety of drain clearing services so we can help you no matter your problem. Our technicians are trained in cleanliness and can help you get through any plumbing emergency!