The best way to deal with clogs is to prevent them from occurring in the first place. After clearing existing clogs from the system, use the following tips to avoid future clogs throughout your home.
- Only putting appropriate things into the disposal: Feeding the wrong items into your garbage disposal can cause multiple problems that may need professional garbage disposal services to address. Besides clogging your system, you might experience jammed blades, leaks or strange noises. Do not put celery, artichokes, potato peels, onion skins, produce stickers, glass, paper, plastic, coffee grounds, eggshells, bones or grease down the kitchen sink.
- Clean all drains regularly: Like many appliances and systems in your house, routine cleaning can go a long way to protect your plumbing from clogs. Besides saving you hassle in the long run, preventive care can help your garbage disposal last longer and work more efficiently.
- Brush your hair before showers: If you've ever finished a shower with water pooling around your ankles, you know how frustrating hair clogs can be. Brushing your hair before showers can remove loose strands that would otherwise fall into the drain. Throw the hair in the garbage instead of flushing it.
- Protect bathroom drains during pet baths: Though it is best to bathe your pets outside, be careful if you choose to use your bathtub. Placing a washcloth over the drain can keep fur and dirt out, helping you avoid nasty clogs.
- Only flush toilet paper: Just like you should be careful about what you put in your kitchen sink, remember that the toilet is only for toilet tissue and human waste. Paper products, kitty litter and plastic components can quickly cause plumbing problems, which you can avoid by using the trash can. Even so-called “flushable” wipes do not break down — instead, they accumulate as solid waste in the pipes. Additionally, do not place large amounts of toilet paper in the toilet at once, as excess paper can also cause clogs.
- Clean drain stoppers often: Soap scum and hair are two of the most significant contributors to bathroom clogs. These elements can slow your drains to a trickle as time passes and eventually lead to complete clogs, highlighting why you should prevent them from going down the drain in the first place.
If none of these solutions work, or if you notice other issues arise while dealing with the original one, contact a professional as soon as possible. Though DIY solutions can reduce repair costs if you address the problem correctly, neglecting other issues could cause significant damage to your pipes or systems that force you to pay more for repairs down the line. A professional service from Mr. Rooter Plumbing of Oswego can address obvious issues and provide insight and expertise to prevent future problems.
