Nothing is more frustrating than a stopped up drain. When the kitchen sink is plugged up it stops everything. Making dinner or doing the dishes is impossible with a plugged-up sink. Yet another one happens when the shower drainage gets blocked with hair making it miserable to shower with water rising on the floor. With a slow draining shower your feet are in a swimming pool and soap scum will cling to your legs. Should you wish to prevent your drains from being blocked there are actually a few measures to take.
The main mistake people make in the kitchen sink is pouring grease down the drain. Grease can develop in the pipes and when it cools it will harden choking off the drain opening. It may seem like a hassle to drain the grease in a jar and throw it in the trash but its worth it in the long run.
A drain screen is an inexpensive way to prevent the shower drain from filling up with hair. They are really cheap and work quite well.
Under sink garburators are a familiar appliance now. But when you throw the wrong stuff down there problems arise. Most food scraps will go down the disposal very nicely but there are a few things you cannot put through it. Do not put the following down the chute hard seeds like a peach pit egg shells meat and surprisingly small seeds can block it all together.
Soft tissues and toilet paper are fine but larger items should not get flushed. Things like paper towels cloth diapers baby wipes and band-aids are examples of stuff that will back up a toilet. Anything that is not eco-friendly should not go down the toilet.
Plumbing contractors offer drain cleaning service. They can use a power auger or even high pressure water to flush and clear everything that could likely clog a drain. When you have this service performed it will blast out everything that was blocking your drain.
If you make one of these common slip ups and your drains do become clogged you need to avoid using liquid drain cleaners. These products will work on some clogs but oftentimes they can start corrosion and lead to further problems down the road.
You can try pouring some sodium bicarbonate down the drain accompanied by the same quantity of of white vinegar and let it stand for ten or fifteen minutes. Then pour steaming hot water down the drain to soften things up. Many times the clog will pass if it was brought on by something greasy. If that does not clear things up then you will most likely need to call a local plumber.