5 Ways to Maintain Healthy Drains at Home

Having a healthy drain is a critical part of home maintenance. When your drains are clear, you are preventing potential problems such as clogging or build-up of hair or other obstructions that could lead to significant and costly issues.

Check out five ways you can help maintain a healthy drain in your home below and if you’d rather leave drain maintenance to the experts, contact Frasier’s Plumbing and Heating, Inc..

1. Inspect The Pipes Regularly

Just like your car needs an oil change frequently or you go to the doctor for a checkup, it’s important to check on your pipes regularly. Take out the stopper and use a flashlight to see if you can see anything close to the top of the drain. Just because you can’t see any issues near the top of the drain, it’s best to do an in-depth inspection by using a drain inspection camera. This will allow you to see if your drains look clear or if there is anything obstructing the path of water. You can also if there is any corrosion of your pipes which could lead to bigger problems in the future.

At Frasier’s Plumbing and Heating, Inc. we offer drain inspection services and know when there could be issues arising with your pipes. Contact us here to schedule an appointment.

2. Use a Drain Guard

This is an inexpensive way to protect your pipes. A drain guard will allow water to go through to the drain and stop items you don’t want going down your drain, such as hair or other debris. Most drain guards are made of rubber and sit on top of your drain to catch unwanted items. A drain guard can be purchased in most grocery or hardware stores and does not need any special tools for installation.

3. Pour Boiling Water Down the Drain

It’s a good practice to get boiling water and flush your drains with it at least once a week. Hot water helps disintegrate any oils or fats that may have inadvertently gone down the drain. This will also help potential residue from building up inside the drain.

Another tip you could incorporate into your maintenance is putting a homemade cleaner mixture down your drain. You never want to use drain cleaners bought at the store because that can lead to potential damage to your pipes or other health hazards. Additionally, drain cleaners are usually intended for temporary fixes rather than regular maintenance. Instead, try a homemade cleaner made from baking soda and vinegar to keep your pipes regularly clean:

• First, make a pot of boiling water and pour all but one cup of it down the drain.
• Immediately after the boiling water, put ⅓ cup of baking soda down the drain and let it sit for five minutes.
• Next, mix one cup of vinegar with the leftover boiling water and pour this mixture down the drain. It will cause a natural chemical reaction and fizz. Let the contents in the drain sit for about 20 minutes.
• Make another pot of boiling water and flush the mixture down the drain.

If the homemade cleaning mixture is not going down your drain or you’re having other blockage problems, that’s when you need to call in plumbing experts.

4. Utilize a Garbage Disposal

If you’re having issues with a kitchen drain, make sure you’re not having issues with your garbage disposal too. A garbage disposal is great to break up small plate scraps that might be leftover after a meal. Just like your pipes, you want to make sure your garbage disposal is regularly maintained by using it frequently, as it will also ensure anything going down your drain is shredded and easier to pass through the pipes.

When using a garbage disposal, always make sure to use cold water as this will help solidify any grease or oil that may be down your sink. With the grease and oil solidified, this will allow the garbage disposal to grind it up, and the particles won’t be stuck on your pipes.

5. Don’t Purposefully Put Large Items Down a Drain

It may seem convenient to put coffee grounds in the drain or, when straining a dish, utilize the kitchen drain for that too. But those are two big no-nos when it comes to maintaining a healthy drain. Put as many large items as possible in a trash can or if it’s compostable, set it aside for compost (great for old coffee grounds and filters!) If you need to strain out oil or fat, have an empty container nearby that you can strain the juices into and then throw that container away when you’re done. This is a relief for your pipes, and you’re able to repurpose an item you were going to throw away anyway!

Another way you can help maintain your drains — contact Frasier’s Plumbing and Heating, Inc.. While at-home remedies serve their purpose, no one does it better than Frasier’s Plumbing and Heating, Inc.. For more than 100 years, our experienced plumbers have been serving Northern Wisconsin. Our team is not only the leaders in plumbing but in electrical, heating, and cooling fields too. Whether it’s for regular maintenance, an emergency, or anything in between, reach out to Frasier’s Plumbing and Heating, Inc.. (715) 804-0947.