Drain Cleaning - Practicing Prevention By Abiding By Some Simple Rules

Somewhere along the line, many people got the idea that nearly anything could go down the sink -— and if not the sink, then the toilet. Unfortunately, the pipes that govern your home's plumbing system are not designed for everything you think might be appropriate. If you've been putting any of the following things down the sink, you could be opening yourself up for some serious pipe and sewer damage, not to mention creating additional pollution that can be harmful to the environment. A good professional drain cleaning service can help restore your plumbing, but in the future, there are the rules you should abide by.

No Grease

Grease, oils, and other byproducts of cooking are some of the most common substances to find their way into the sink when they really should go anywhere else. Why is this a bad thing? While the grease that you pour into the sink may be liquid at the time, it won't take long for it to congeal. When that happens, it sticks to the sides of your pipes and very quickly removes much of your efficiency. When drain cleaning professionals hear of a kitchen sink that isn't moving water along as it should, this is one of their first suspicions. Save your efficiency by putting your cooking grease into a jar and disposing of it properly.

Coffee Grounds

Since most kitchen sinks are equipped with a garbage disposal, it gives homeowners a false sense of security when it comes to what they can dump. Coffee grounds would never be dumped into the sink if garbage disposals didn't exist. The sink would clog almost instantly. Since a good disposal can force it down the pipes, many feel they can get away with it. It's not a good idea, however. Over time, these grounds will clog up your sink as surely as they would if you didn't have the disposal. Dump those grounds in the trash and give your disposal a break.

Paper Towels

If you've ever run out of toilet paper or have had to pick up a bug, you may be one of those people who have made the mistake of tossing paper towels into the toilet. Once or twice probably won't do much of anything, but if you make a habit of doing this, your pipes are going to clog in a hurry. Paper towels are much thicker and much less resistant to being broken down by water than toilet paper. Drain cleaning professionals cite this as one of the most common problems they see when a homeowner's toilets are not functioning as they should be. Save the money it costs to put your plumbing system right again and only flush toilet paper.