No homeowner wants to get caught up with a plumbing system that’s constantly acting up. It’s disappointing and can get downright nasty especially when you look down the toilet and the water is coming back up, ready to give you a scare and a splash. In the worst case, plumbing problems can unexpectedly drain your time, energy and money – the sort that you wouldn’t wish you’d ever run to. Good thing keeping your home’s plumbing in the best shape possible is actually much easier than you think. You just have to follow our tips below.
Tip #1 – Use drain cover in your kitchen sink and shower
Waterline Plumbing Joondalup explains that more often than not, people don’t watch what they let down the drain and get surprised when plumbers show them the different nasty stuff clumping together, clogging their drains. Drain covers are a must have accessory in your homes, even if you’re good at remembering what should and should not go down the drain. This is for the fact that there are just types of waste that have a knack at getting through the pipe, even when you pay careful attention. Drain covers are your first line of defence against clog culprits especially in the most vulnerable-to-clog areas in your home. They come in different colours, sizes and types. Some are made of rust-proof metal, while others are made of plastic or silicone, but they all work very similarly to prevent dirt and debris from reaching the sewer. Drain covers have suction pad or ring to keep them in place. They are also easy to remove and clean. You just have to remove the debris with your hands, then give it a good scrub with a brush, and you’re good to go. If you’re taking out dirt and debris from a metal type, it would be a good idea to use wet wipes to protect your hands from possibly getting a cut. With just a few dollars, drain guards make a good investment to keep your drains clog-free.
Tip #2 – Don’t use your toilet as a waste basket
You may not believe it, but yes, we’ve found different types of nasty things down the toilet, from tampons to toys, q-tips, insects, rings, dentures, pennies, and the list goes on. Wish we also wouldn’t have to bring this up but yes, we also discovered condoms flushed in the toilet. While it’s normal to want to dispose of a condom quickly, they are just terrible for your toilet. Constantly flushing this in the toilet can only leave you with a pipe and septic tank full of latex buildup.
Toilet papers and pre moistened wipes too have been getting a lot of bad press lately. While the product label says they’re flushable, doesn’t mean they have the ability to dissolve. So, be conservative in the amount of toilet paper you use and don’t flush more than what seems reasonable. As for moistened wipes, forget about it if you can. Experts say it takes a 100 years for it to biodegrade and can only twist into ropy wads, stiffen with grease and other cooking fats to form a massive iceberg-like formation of a clog that blocks pumps and pipes.
If you don’t want this to happen in your homes, be extra mindful of what you let down the drains. If you have kids, it’s a good idea to educate them on what they should and should not flush. Posting a list of stuff that’s a no no in the toilet may also help your kids to remember.
Tip #3 – Keep (FOGs) fats, grease and oil away from your drains
A little of these dish ingredients may be something you need to keep a balanced diet, but these are just bad for your drains, especially in the cold season where they can harden. Unlike wastewater, FOG has a sticky nature and when poured down the drain may not make it far through the pipes but combines with other debris and chemicals to form a massive clog. So what are you gonna do with these greasy stuff after cooking? Pour them into a jar or tin cans, let it cool and throw them in the trash. You can also wipe the grease off on your dishes and kitchen wares with a paper towel before washing them. To give no chance for FOGs to cake your pipe walls, run just enough steaming water down the drain after every dish wash.
We know you’re sick and tired of clogs in your home, the reason why you’re reading this blog. So keep in mind that liquid grease as it cools will turn solid and clog your pipes quicker than anything else. Therefore, make every effort to follow the tips here.
Tip #4 – Use a drain-friendly bath soap
Maybe you love the sensation of cleansing your body with your favourite scented bar soap you have used since you were a kid, or you’re more excited dipping in the bathtub with lots of bath bombs in it. When was the last time you got concerned with your soap choices? There is absolutely nothing wrong with using just any type of soap, but switching to liquid soap is safer for your drains. Bath soap has a nature of hardening again, clumping into a large, sticky lump and overtime causes a blockage. Using a bath bomb on the other hand may give you a different feeling and excitement, but using more than your bathtub or your drain can manage can likely leave you with property and water damage. Bath bombs have oil that gives it a soothing smell and moisturizing effect but they can harden and clog your drains. The fancy ones also contain several particles like glitter, coffee grounds and confetti that are especially bad for your drainage system because they don’t break down and have a knack at getting through the drain covers.
Tip #5 – Refrain from using caustic chemicals
While we hate to be the bearer of bad news, you just have to know the hard truth again. Using a chemical drain cleaner will not do any good to your pipe. It’s normal to feel the sense of urgency especially if your plunger is not helping at all, but it’s also at this point of time where you can get clumsy with your choices. Some homeowners don’t appreciate the benefit they can get by hiring blocked drain experts over chemical drain cleaners, for budget sake. But little did they know spending little on chemical drain cleaners, can mean spending a lot more when the chemicals take a toll on the drain pipes. Not to mention the risk from getting burned with the caustic chemical they contain. Chemical drain cleaners may be effective at clearing clogs, but it can never outweigh the benefit you can get from hiring a professional who can safely and completely clear the clogs for you.
Tip #6 – Invest in regular drain-cleaning
Just like regular checkup with the doctor, regular cleaning too can go a long way in keeping your plumbing pipes healthy. Not only will it give the professionals an opportunity to fix the problem at hand, but as well as reduce the number of times your pipe will likely experience a clog, and catch signs of other future pipe issues. Take for example, a banging noise in the pipe. You may think it just normal for your pipe to make this sound, but it can also indicate a leak somewhere in your pipeline. It may be a pricey endeavour you may think, but if you take into account the hourly cost everytime a plumber comes out to fix a problem, the time wasted, the water service downtime, and the inconvenience, it is still cost effective.
Tip #7 – Consider Pipe Relining Sydney
What’s a better way to have a plumbing pipe that never fails? Pipe Relining Sydney needs not a lot of introduction. You might have bits of info about it from colleagues or the internet. It’s a technique to fix pipes that have gone defective with time due to many factors, but has not reached its point of complete failure, and requires specialized contractors like Revolution Pipe Relining to successfully pull off.
While it’s comforting to learn that it only takes a change of a few habits to keep your plumbing pipes in fine fettle, if there’s an existing problem down the line, you will still end up calling us to sort out the problem. If you haven’t had a professional check your plumbing for ages, now is the best time to do it, not later when a minor problem has already gotten worse.
We are the best there is in the pipe relining business and we are experts in providing Sydney relining solutions, whether it’s a drain pipe relining, sewer relining, trenchless sewer relining, and even cast iron pipe relining. You can trust that we can put your plumbing in good working condition again, like it was new. Seamless, more efficient and robust enough to stand against tree roots, blockage and other factors beyond your control.