The modern plumbing system is hands down one of the greatest luxuries that we as homeowners enjoy, but only if it stays in good working order. Taking proactive steps to care for your plumbing is essential, starting with professional drain cleaning in Denver.
Keep reading to learn about preventing clogs and what to do (and not do!) to keep them from coming back. Of course, if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to reach out to our Denver drain and sewer experts at Bell Plumbing, Heating, Cooling & Electrical!
Your home sees an enormous amount of waste water go down the drains, particularly in the kitchen, where drains quickly clog with organic material. Although you can prevent large amounts of liquid fats, oils, and grease from going down a kitchen drain, it’s impossible to avoid some amount from getting into the plumbing. In the bathroom, the drains will start to collect soap scum, which accumulates along the pipes and may even cause acidic damage to the lining, as well as hair that will catch in the p-traps.
Professional drain cleaning takes care of eliminating the build-up in pipes that causes so many issues. Our Bell Plumbing and Heating professionals use the best equipment available to clear out drainpipes so they are almost like new. We often use hydro-jetting, which blasts out high pressure water from a hose and nozzle inserted into drains. The force of the water drives away all sorts of deposits without harming the walls of the drainpipes.
Scheduling professional drain cleaning is far superior and safer than buying a bottle of chemical cleaning solution. These products are corrosive, damaging, and can make the clog worse. Gravity may help the solution work its way through the clog, but you could damage your pipes along the way. These chemicals also don’t address deeper issues in your plumbing, sewer clogs, and other problems that could wreak havoc on your home.
Trying to snake out your drains on your own could help a light clog that’s near the surface. But there’s really no way to know how far down the clog is or if you’ll damage your plumbing system. It’s more likely you’ll force the snake through a clog but leave enough behind to build up again. Over time, using a plumbing snake without more knowledge about what’s going on can harm your plumbing and cause a costly repair.
What’s the harm in disposing of fats, oils, and grease in your drain? For starters, FOG doesn’t go away. While it may be in liquid form when you initially pour it into your drain, it will start to congeal as soon as it cools and stick to the inside of your piping or garbage disposal quickly and easily.
Hot water also doesn’t remove FOG and creates more problems as it melts. The fats, oil, and grease might liquify with the hot water initially, but then cool and clog further down the drain and create a larger problem. FOG also smells and can spoil your plumbing system.
Never dispose of any kind of FOG in your drains, even if it is a spoonful of mayonnaise. For solid fats and grease, dispose of them directly into a garbage can, not your garbage disposal. FOG will cling to the blades and mechanics of your disposal. For liquid fats, use an old can to hold the liquid so that it has a place to cool and congeal; once the can is full dispose of it in your garbage.
One of the simplest ways to minimize the risk of accidentally clogging your own drains is by putting drain covers in the sink before doing the dishes. The slots in these easy-to-find drain guards allow water to pass through but keep much of the debris from dirty plates out of your pipes. Even with drain guards, you should still scrape plates and dishes free of scraps before putting them in the sink.
While you may be able to confidently put many items in your garbage disposal, you must remember that there are limitations. You shouldn’t overwhelm your garbage disposal or put items such as coffee grounds down the drain. Ground coffee may not pose a risk to the disposal itself; they can make their way past the disposal and clog up your drains if they are not flushed completely away.
Also, remember to remove hair from the drains in your showers or sinks after bathing or trimming your beard. It may be tempting to just flush them down the drain, but this will come back to haunt you in the form of drain clogs before long. When your drains do clog up, remember that the only way to have them effectively cleared is by scheduling professional drain cleaning services. Not only will this ensure that your clogs are removed, but it will also help to eliminate the risk of partial clogs being left behind to form new ones in a short time.
If you let clogs in your drains go unresolved, you’ll quickly find yourself standing in stagnant water after showers or watching the sink fill after washing your hands. It’s not just inconvenient; it also leads to damaged pipes and bigger problems. Call the professionals at Bell to handle all of your drain cleaning, whether as an emergency repair or as part of regular plumbing maintenance.
Remember, clogs and leaks usually don’t develop overnight. They normally take a long time to grow and develop. Your Denver plumber will look for any issues and remove them during your drain cleaning. Regular drain maintenance is also a great way to avoid potential plumbing repairs while increasing the effectiveness of your plumbing.
Ready to schedule your drain cleaning in Denver? Call the specialists at Bell today!
We’re ready to answer your questions or schedule your appointment, call now or book online!
