How to Prevent Clogged Pipes

November 10, 2017 1:45 pm Published by Leave your thoughts

A clogged pipe is one of the most common plumbing issues we deal with on a daily basis. It doesn’t matter if your pipes are new or old—they’re all highly susceptible to clogs. Thankfully, there are ways to avoid clogging up your pipes. Follow these tips from your trusted providers of plumbing services in Colorado Springs, CO, and your pipes should be free and clear of clogs for the foreseeable future:

  • Watch what goes down your drain: The easiest way to avoid a clog is to make sure you aren’t putting anything down your drain that shouldn’t go there. Cooking grease, coffee grounds and large food chunks in your kitchen sink should be forbidden. Even though it’s a “liquid,” grease will eventually harden in your pipes and create an incredibly tough barrier that needs to be removed by a plumber. Despite their small size, coffee grounds clump together easily in your pipes and create a nasty clog. And even if you have a garbage disposal, just toss your big food scraps in the trash.
  • Buy a drain strainer: Even if you’ve developed good habits regarding what does and does not go down the drain in your kitchen sink, that doesn’t mean everyone else has. If you’re hosting multiple holiday gatherings this fall and winter, just think about all the people who might, without any ill intent, put dirty dishes or food scraps in your sink and rinse the debris down the drain. Invest in a drain strainer to catch these scraps before they have the chance to do any major damage.
  • Run hot water: After you do the dishes, run hot water through the sink. Extremely hot water will work to free up any food particles or oils that are still sitting in the pipes. It’s an easy tactic that can save you time and money by helping you avoid having to pay a plumber to unclog your pipes.
  • Use baking soda: A handful of baking soda down the drain followed by hot water can even further reduce the risk of clogs, and will help prevent nasty smells from developing. If baking soda on its own doesn’t seem to help anything, pour one cup of vinegar down the drain with the baking soda. Let that mixture sizzle for 15 minutes and wash it down with some hot water. That basic chemical reaction can do wonders to clear up any clogs.
  • Don’t use drain cleaner: Sure, a drain cleaner will work to remove a lot of clogs, but the impact those caustic cleaners have on your drain just isn’t worth it. Over time, the chemicals can corrode your pipes and necessitate major repairs or even pipe replacement. If you have a clog, it’s better to go ahead and call a plumber. Plumbing services in Colorado Springs, CO will be able to fix a clog the right way, without damaging your plumbing in the process.

Follow these tips, and you shouldn’t have to worry about a clog in your pipes anytime soon, but if you do, you know who to call. The professional plumbers at Affordable Rooter can unclog any pipe to ensure your plumbing is functioning as it should be. Get in touch at the first sign of a stubborn clog!

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