The best way to ensure that your plumbing system stays healthy is through preventative means. There are many common items that you can omit from your drain system to avoid any drain clogs. A kitchen clog can greatly disrupt the daily flow of your home. If you need a fast and reliable plumber in Frederick, MD you should contact our team. We’ve compiled a short list of items to avoid below.
Eggshells
Eggshells aren’t a good item to put down your drain. You might think that your kitchen sink’s garbage disposal can handle anything but when they’re ground, they turn into a rough sandpaper-like substance that can blunt your blades over time. Make sure that these eggshells in up in your trashcan rather than your drain.
Fat, Grease, and Oil
Fat, grease, and oil are the top three culprits of drain clogs. You might hear these items commonly referred to as “FOG.” These items are such a problem because they might go down your drain as a liquid, but they’ll settle in your pipes as a sludge-like solid. It’s easy to avoid putting FOG down your drain, allow these liquids to cool and become solids. Once they are solids, dispose of these items in the trash.
Coffee Grounds
This is a main culprit of drain clogs. Coffee grounds aren’t completely water soluble, so they combined with preexisting FOG in your system to cause drain blockages. Make sure that before you clean your coffee maker you’ve dumped the coffee grounds into the trash.
Produce Stickers
It’s common that you’ll find stickers on your fruit and vegetables. These tiny stickers seem benign, but the adhesive used to have them stick to the produce actually causes problems within your plumbing system.
Additionally, make sure any fruit pits are put into the trash. Your garbage disposal isn’t equipped to handle these hard, round pits.
Drain Cleaner
Many homeowners are surprised by this item but it’s important to call a professional if you have a drain clog—don’t try to solve this problem with an over the counter drain cleaner. The chemicals used in this type of cleaner are incredibly caustic and hard on your pipes. It’s more than likely that you’ll cause more problems down the line rather than permanently fixing your drain clogs.
Pasta and Rice
Don’t let pasta and rice make your way down your drains. These items are a problem because they enter your drain one way, but they expand over time as you run more water down through your plumbing system. The swelling of these materials is a big cause of clogs.
Need Great Plumbing Services? Contact Us
If you slip up and discover you have a kitchen clog in your home, make sure you contact a professional as soon as possible. Don’t try to solve these issues on your own. At Mallick Plumbing & Heating, we pride ourselves on our integrity and quality service at reasonable prices. We understand the unique needs of homeowners here in the Greater Washington Metro area.