Drain clogging is one of the most annoying problems that we have in the plumbing world. It’s inconvenient and annoying, and often something we can fix with just a few preventative measures. Here’s our top 5 reasons why drains get clogged, and some simple solutions to keep your plumbing system running smoothly.
Animal Fat
Animal fats, or any fats that are solid at room temperature, are probably the number one cause of drain clogging in any home. The reason is that many people dump their fat down the drain, sometimes with a chaser of dish detergent, convinced that it will clean out the fat. But what actually happens is this: the fat quickly solidifies as it hits the cold of your pipes and starts to coat the pipes. That can build up pretty quickly, leaving you with slow-draining and completely clogged pipes. The solution is easy, though, just pour fat into a “grease jar” and keep it in the fridge instead of in your plumbing system.
Garburators (Garbage Disposal Units)
Probably the most ironic of the items on this list, garburators (or garbage disposal units) are actually a huge problem for drains and pipes. There’s two reasons for this: one, your pipes are meant for liquids, not the mashed-up contents of whatever you put through that machine and, two, your city’s pipes are likely not designed for that kind of waste either. So what happens is you have unnecessary waste getting thrown into two systems that can’t handle the mess, jamming up you and your city’s water systems. But there’s an easy solution here too: get yourself a compost disposal for all your food waste, the most common garburator waste. It’s better for the environment and, if you are worried about the smell, just keep it in your freezer.
Food Scraps
Most of us wish our dishwashers were as good as promised, that you could simply put any dirty dish in and it will come out sparkling. This, as we all know, isn’t the case. So we rinse our dirty dishes in the sink and often send large chunks of food down our drains. That causes all kinds of buildup and, next thing you know, your drain is all clogged. To avoid this, scrape your dishes into your compost first, and then install a trap in your drain. That will keep any bigger chunks out of your drains and keep things running smoothly.
Pretty Much Anything Going in the Toilet
Toilets are designed for two things: human waste and toilet paper. Anything else is a surefire way to clog up the drain in your toilet and, well, lots of people tend to put all sorts of things down the drain. Feminine hygiene products are one of the worst offenders, along with family planning items. All of these are best put in the trash, so keep a discrete garbage container in your bathroom. That way people can throw things in there without feeling like it’s on display for all to see.
Construction Waste
The final common culprit in drain clogging is construction waste. This can be anything from sawdust to concrete chips, anything we throw down our drains by turning the hose onto it instead of a shop-vac. The biggest places this happens is in outdoor drains and in the garage. But the solution, again, is pretty simple: it’s always better to suck up than wash away, so take a vacuum to these types of messes, bag it, and leave it on the curb.
If you do run into these problems, you can always try to fix the problem yourself, or if you’re short on time (or patience) you can always call up your local neighborhood plumbing contractor!
