The crucial thing about maintaining a drainage system is preventing it from forming any clogs of debris. To do this, you must be on a constant lookout for any possible source of clogs. Keep in mind that more often than not, the debris that causes clogging comes from garbage and other materials we improperly dispose of in bathrooms and kitchens.
1. Using a drain guard
Drain guards are those small disks made out of metal or plastic are placed on top of the plug to collect debris. They are meant to impede the entry of solid wastes that wash down your sink. After some time, you can then remove the drain guards alongside the wastes they collected.
One effective use of drain guards is in bathrooms where they can collect loose hair. You have to remember, though, that drain guards can only reduce the flow of solid waste. It is less effective in filtering out liquid wastes like cooking oil and coffee grounds. Given this, it is imperative that you dispose of all types of waste properly.
2. Maintain garbage disposal
When using a garbage disposal, make sure that you take good care of it properly as well. Clean it once a month with a disposer brush. Make sure that you remove the grease and slime that may build up at the sides of the disposer.
To make sure that it doesn’t smell, you can also apply home solutions including the use of lemon, table salt, vinegar, and baking soda. Do not use abrasive solutions because your end goal is just to make the disposer smell nice.
3. Proper ways of washing a pet
Washing ourselves and our pets are sure ways to get hair down into plug holes of shower drains. Furry pets shed more hair and usually cause hair buildup problems in the drain. To prevent this from happening, you can place a washcloth over the drain to catch the hair shed by your pets. This will help in the disposal of the hair without it causing a blockage.
4. Using boiling water
Depending on the material composition of your pipes, you can use boiling water to help clear the pipes from clogs or blockages. For example, in your shower drains, you can use boiling water to soften soap scum that has accumulated and harden over time.
Be careful about using boiling water when you are using PVC pipes. Boiling water can soften and slightly bend the pipes which can damage it in the long run.
5. Paying attention to small problems
You should keep an eye out for anything out of the ordinary in your drainage system. Spotting even the smallest problem can help you save hundreds or thousands of dollars from repair or replacements of pipes, vents, and other parts of the system.
Drainage problems start small and are unnoticeable. They can take the form of wet patches on the ground or foul odor that seem to appear out of nowhere. When you spot these signs, it usually means that there are leaks in your drainage system.
