Knowing how to avoid clogged pipes will help keep your plumbing system in good condition. Learning how to unclog a drain will also help you avoid a costly service call from the plumber.
Pipes always seem to get clogged at the worst possible times, like when you have guests over for the evening. And while you may not be able to stop every drain clog, there are steps you can take to avoid most nasty clogs. Here are our tips to help you avoid pipe blockages.
Preventing pipe clogging: what to do
First of all, you should know that the worst problem is having an obstruction in the main pipe of the house. If you have a clogged sewer line every few months, don’t just clean it. Most sewer service companies will “respect” the line to see what is causing the problem. This involves sending a remote camera down the line for visual inspection.
The recurring problem could be tree roots entering through clay tile joints, a partially collapsed pipe, or even rotten cast iron that allows soil to fall into the line and create a blockage. It’s worth paying to find out the cause and repair it rather than worrying about frequent sewer backups and cleaning bills. A plumbing emergency could quickly resort to a general inspection of your sewers to see if the problem requires a major cleaning intervention.
If your washing machine drain has never been clogged, you’re in luck. Soft toys, pieces of fabric, tissues and even socks can sneak into your washer drain pipe and cause problems in your drain. To prevent this stuff from clogging your drain, place a lint trap at the end of the drain pipe. You can purchase mesh lint traps for your washer discharge hose at hardware stores, or you can simply use an old nylon stocking. Keep an eye on the trap and replace it when it is full.
Whether it’s hair, grease or food, organic matter causes most drain blockages. Fortunately, there is a type of bacteria that breaks down organic matter in your drains. Inject the bacteria into your drains and pipes and it will help break down organic matter which helps prevent blockages. You can purchase drain cleaning bacteria in granular or liquid form at your hardware store.
Preventing blockages: what not to do
Grease is one of the worst things you can pour down your drain. Hot grease flows down your drain until it cools in the pipe, where it congeals to begin to form a clog. Then other waste gets stuck in it, and before you know it, you have a major clogging problem.
The best solution is to avoid pouring grease or oil down your drain. Ditto for joint compounds which harden through a chemical reaction and even harden under water, so obviously if they settle in your drain the clog will be hard as a rock.
Sand is another construction product that is notoriously bad for drains. Sand is heavy and settles quickly in traps and pipes to form blockages that are difficult to remove. You should therefore not pour these materials into the drains, even with high water pressure these materials will leave traces that are difficult to eliminate in your pipes.
Hair and soap also combine in your bathtub or shower drain to create clogs that might require a drain snake to remove. But you can avoid this task by removing the hair before it reaches the drain.