Why Do My Drains Keep Clogging?
A clogged drain is a frustration that no one wants to deal with. Fortunately, they really don’t happen all that often. That is, unless your actions are causing the drains to get clogged sooner than usual. If you’ve never been given the rundown on how to care for your drains, then it’s not all that surprising to find that your habits might be creating clogs.
Below are some of the things that might be leading to your drain clogs.
You’re Putting the Wrong Food Down the Drains
First thing’s first: if you don’t have a garbage disposal, you shouldn’t be putting any food down the drain. You’re better off scraping everything into the garbage can for now. Even homeowners that do own garbage disposals should be more diligent about scraping food into the trash when they can help it. There are several kinds of foods that can damage a garbage disposal’s blades.
That being said, what we want to focus on today is the foods that can block up your drains. So, regardless of whether or not you have a garbage disposal, here’s what you need to avoid:
- Fats, oils, and greases. Collectively known as FOG, these substances are liquids when they’re just removed from the stove or the oven, but when they cool, they’ll congeal into a hard and sticky substance. This is the leading cause of drain clogs.
- Pasta and rice, when combined with water, they’ll expand and can create a glue-like substance in your drains.
- Pits and bones can get trapped in the p-trap or block other parts of the drain.
- Coffee grounds won’t break down in water, instead clumping together and possibly becoming a stubborn clog.
Too Much Hair and Soap in the Bathroom Drains
Yes, you read that right. Too much soap can lead to clogs! That’s because the fat in soaps can bind to the walls of the drain pipe. Then, things like dirt, skin flakes, and hair will get stuck to the soap to form a clog.
But don’t get us wrong—we’re not advocating that you stop using soap. Instead, be more diligent about preventing hair from going down the drain. A drain stopper is perfect for preventing hair, chunks of bar soap, and other clog-forming substances from getting into your drains. Just remember to clean it thoroughly to prevent any mold growth.
You’re Flushing the Wrong Things
The toilet should never be used to flush anything other than waste and toilet paper. This one goes a bit against what you’ve been told, because most wet wipes will advertise themselves as “flushable.” Even so, it’s been found that these wet wipes work wonders for clogging up the sewers. Keep all cosmetics and trash out of the toilet and you should be golden.
You’re in Need of Drain Cleaning
Finally, we’d advocate getting a drain cleaning from a plumber in Arlington, TX. A proper drain cleaning is like giving your drains a fresh start. It will completely remove all the grease and sludge that may have accumulated on the walls of the drain, as well as washing out any growing blockages. In fact, regular drain cleaning will ensure that you rarely ever get clogs again.
Is it time for a drain cleaning? We can help! Contact Frymire Home Services for A Higher Degree of Comfort.
