Do you suffer from frequent drain clogs in your kitchen or bathroom? You're not alone. In fact, clogs are common in all homes and businesses. That's why it's so important to own a plunger. There are many ways to clear clogs inside pipes, but one option for dealing with drainage jams is superior to everything else: prevention.
Proper maintenance and usage will prevent most plumbing problems. If you adopt habits that are healthy for plumbing systems, then you'll rarely have to worry about sink issues in your kitchen or bathroom.
The drain cleaning experts at Mr. Rooter Plumbing of Central Long Island have helped hundreds of people with severe clogs. All those successful solutions gave us greater insight into how people living and working in Suffolk County might avoid having to call for emergency plumbing services in the future. Information about what creates clogged drains and how you can avoid them will also protect you from future frustrations and even costly pipe repairs.
What Causes Sink Clogs?
Age and unsafe flushing are the two most common causes. Over time, all pipes become susceptible to issues caused by age. Soap scum, minerals, and other debris all build up inside pipe walls and make your drainage channels narrower. That decreased flow increases your chances of dealing with standing water, slow drains, and backups.
In addition to natural buildup, there are many materials and other factors that will create a slow-draining kitchen sink or cause a major clog in your bathroom sink, so the cause of your water woes might not be clear. It's often something else that got inside your drain pipe. Knowing what to avoid washing down sink drains will prevent those issues from being a problem in the future.
How Can You Prevent Sink Clogs?
The best method for keeping drainage clear is developing safe flushing habits. It's always tempting to blast food waste and other debris down with water. Out of sight, out of mind, right? Unfortunately, that's not true for plumbing systems. Waste lines that run out of sinks are designed to transport two things: water and liquid waste.
Anything else that gets inside will reappear later in your life as a pesky problem inside your drains. In both kitchens and bathroom sinks, there are specific culprits that plumbers frequently clear out of pipes in Suffolk County.
Common Causes of Kitchen Clogs:
Fats, oils, & grease
Honey
Coffee grounds & egg shells
Seeds & grains
Flour
Rice
Bones
Food scraps
Produce stickers
Paint
Did you know that chia seeds expand in water? Some of the items on this list might seem silly or unnecessary, but all of them react with water or pipes in some way that causes clogs in kitchen sinks. That includes commercial kitchens.
Even the heavy-duty fixtures in larger industrial kitchens are susceptible to issues caused by all these things—although they might have extra measures to fight them, like grease traps.
FOGs
Fats, oils, and grease are all extremely common causes of kitchen sink issues. Why is that? Aren't they liquid waste? Not exactly. They might be liquid when you pour them down—especially if they're hot—but they harden and congeal once they've spent some time inside your lines. Your kitchen will become a hot spot for drain blockage and nasty backups if that happens enough.
Common Causes of Bathroom Clogs:
Paper towel, tissues, & wet wipes—even flushable wipes
Cotton balls
Dental floss
Nail polish
Wedding rings
Toothpaste caps & other small objects
Anything labeled "flushable" still shouldn't ever be flushed. That's a label that many companies put on their products, but it doesn't actually mean those products are safe for plumbing components. All plumbing experts know that these products are problematic. If they clog sewer lines, they can even cause a major plumbing emergency.
Hair
Have you ever noticed signs in hotels asking people not to shave over sinks? There's a reason that hospitality businesses post those notices. Hair clogs typically torment people in clogged shower drains, but your sink is just as vulnerable. Shaving, combing, and brushing should all be done away from any wastewater outlets.
Professional Drain Cleaning Services
In addition to always using safe flushing habits, you can also get drain cleaning services from a professional plumbing company. Many homeowners and businesses in Suffolk County make an annual appointment for this preventative maintenance because they know how much it benefits older pipes. The techniques and tools used by professional plumbers—like hydro jetting and augers—clean pipes and extend their lives at the same time.
This service is how you fight the effects of aging. By blasting away the soft blockage that's accumulated in your waste pipes, you can greatly improve your ability to avoid any sink issues. This process is so thorough that it even clears out sewer pipes.
This is also a great way to deal with any blockage created by wedding rings or other valuables that have been accidentally dropped inside of fixtures. The video camera inspection systems that plumbing professionals use can locate objects creating hard blockages and recover them.
How Do You Know If You Need Professional Drain Services?
If you live in an older home or run a business out of an older commercial property and you've never had someone clear your waste lines for you, then it's not a bad idea to schedule an appointment now. It'll be obvious that you have blocked drains if there's a raw sewage backup in your home, but that's an extreme situation. Plumbing systems often send minor signals that they need attention before things get that bad.
Warning signs that you need drain services include:
Foul odors emanating from sinks—rotting smells are common in clogged kitchen sinks
Unusual sounds during use
Slow-flowing drains
A swarm of fruit flies nearby
Frequent clogs
Clogged fixtures in multiple rooms
Sewage backups
Do You Need A Plumber in Suffolk County, NY?
Some of those warning signs indicate an even more serious situation: clogged sewer drains. Whether you’re in Ronkonkoma or other towns such as Holbrook and Centereach, Mr. Rooter Plumbing of Central Long Island is available 24/7 to help you solve unsatisfactory sink situations and other plumbing emergencies.
For prompt service give us a call at 631-542-2194.