Things Your Plumber Wants You To Not Put Down The Drain | Denton, TX
A few food scraps here, a few drops of cooking grease there and before you know it, you’ve got a sink clog. Many drain clogs are compound clogs. That means that they developed over time. While it might seem like those coffee grounds will flow water easily out to the sewer system, it doesn’t always happen. It’s important to try to prevent clogs in your sinks, tubs, and toilets because it’s extremely inconvenient, which most people are well aware of, but also because the clog and water backup put pressure on your pipes, which could weaken them and cause leaks. Plus, fewer stubborn drain clogs means fewer service calls to your Denton, TX, plumber. Although bluefrog Plumbing + Drain of North Dallas is always happy to visit your home to make repairs or solve stubborn clogs, we know you’d rather invite us over as little as possible. To keep us away, be sure to avoid putting these things down your toilets and sink and tub drains.
Coffee Grounds
Coffee grounds are great for your compost pile, but definitely not good for your drains or toilet. Ask nearly any plumber to name the top five causes of a kitchen sink clog and they’ll probably say coffee grounds. Coffee grounds are tiny and light–until they’re wet. Then, they bind together, often in the bends of pipes, and sit there. As they combine with more grounds over time or other food debris or cooking oils, they can form extremely stubborn clogs. While bluefrog Plumbing + Drain of North Dallas has the professional plumbing equipment needed to power through stubbing clogs, too many clogs is simply not good for your pipes and they can reduce the longevity of your plumbing system. If you want to avoid a service call to your plumber, avoid throwing coffee grounds down the sink drain or toilet.
Kitty Litter
Even kitty litter that’s marketed as “flushable” should not be flushed down the drain. Even these types of kitty litter have been known to cause clogs, but that’s not the only problem. The bacteria that can form in kitty litter because of cat waste is sometimes resistant to the chemicals used by water treatment plants. That means that bacteria can find its way into the water supply. It’s safest to dispose of kitty litter another way, but never down your drains. If you suspect you have a drain clog caused by kitty litter, contact bluefrog Plumbing + Drain of North Dallas so we can send a skilled plumbing professional to your Denton, TX, home to clean out your drains.
Oils, Fats, and Grease
Any plumber can tell you that oils, fats, and grease are the leading cause of drain clogs. These thick liquids can mix with other debris like coffee grounds or eggshells in your drain and form powerful clogs. The liquids can also solidify over time forming a veritable wall inside your drains. Sometimes these drains are tough for a plumber to clear even with professional equipment. After cooking foods in oil, never drain them in your sink. It might seem less convenient to drain them over a trash bin or old coffee can (used for this purpose), it’s even less convenient when a clog prevents you from using your kitchen sink.
Feminine Hygiene Products
Feminine hygiene products can cause serious drain clogs too–even products that are marketed as “flushable” as some tampons are. These products don’t dissolve in your drains; in fact, they absorb water. They can easily become stuck in your pipes where they can cause a clog and water backup. Most of the time, these types of clogs require the skills of a plumbing expert. bluefrog Plumbing + Drain of North Dallas can send an experienced plumber to your home with all the equipment that’s needed to clear these stubborn clogs.
Baby Wipes and Diapers
Avoid flushing baby wipes and diapers down toilets too. Flushing these items down the toilet is just asking for trouble. While there are products sold as “flushable” wipes, these items aren’t worth the risk of a clog and the subsequent call to your plumber. Instead, dispose of these items in a trash bin.
Hair
Hair can cause stubborn tub clogs, but they are easily prevented if you use a drain screen or protector. When hair gets into the drain, it won’t dissolve and it often gets caught up in biofilm contained in the pipes or soap and conditioner residue that hasn’t washed away. The hair and soap residue can block the flow of water very effectively.
Food Scraps
Although food scraps are biodegradable, they won’t break down any time soon in your plumbing system if they form a clog. Vegetable peels, the little bit of cereal left in the bowl, or any other solid food particle can potentially help form a clog in your drains. Many food scraps can be composted and they are added to your garden soil. However, unless you want a visit from your plumber, you shouldn’t allow them to flow down your drain.
Drain Cleaning Service
If you have slow drains at your home and you’ve allowed these items to get into your drains, you should consider calling bluefrog Plumbing + Drain of North Dallas. We can send a plumbing professional to your house to clean your drains. Slow drains are signs of a developing clog. Usually, they get worse if left unaddressed and, at some point, will then form a clog that prevents you from using your sink or tub.
If you’re interested in draining cleaning services from bluefrog Plumbing + Drain of North Dallas, contact us to schedule this maintenance. If you already have a clog, you can rely on our plumbing pros to remove it and clean out your line. Our plumbers travel to and around Denton, TX, and can handle all of your plumbing maintenance and repair needs.
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