Bathroom and kitchen plumbing are notorious for becoming slow to drain over time—and it’s no doubt that toothpaste, shaving creams, and “garbage disposal” waste are to blame. Plumbing problems can be a real pain—thankfully, keeping up with preventative maintenance may help.
Wouldn’t it be wonderful if you didn’t have to deal with bathroom drain issues at all? Wondering how to clean and protect your bathroom and kitchen drains at the same time? Let’s discuss.
Keep These 3 Things Out of Your Drains
No drain problem is completely avoidable. At some point, you’re going to experience a clog or plumbing issue in your bathroom or kitchen. That’s just homeowner’s luck. However, there are steps you can take to avoid dealing with frequently clogged bathroom and kitchen drains—and it starts with keeping these 3 things out!
Fats, Oils, and Grease
Fats, oils, and grease (also known as FOG in the world of plumbing) are never good for your drains. You might think it’s fine to pour that extra olive oil or bacon grease down the garbage disposal—it’s liquid right? While FOG appears to be liquid at the surface, as it travels further down into your plumbing system, it may cool and solidify. Over time, the build-up of fats, oils, and grease can create a blockage and lead to minor plumbing annoyances.
Rice and Pasta
Similar to FOG, rice and pasta appear harmless on the surface. You might think to pour unused pasta or leftover rice down the garbage disposal—but wait! Pasta and rice can clog your drains over time, too. Even if you’re using your garbage disposal, you must remember that these foods expand when wet. Over time, these foods can build up and cause a blockage in your pipes that’s difficult to unclog.
Chemical Drain Cleaners
Another thing that’s important to keep out of your bathroom and kitchen drains? Chemical drain cleaners. While marketed to homeowners for easy, do-it-yourself drain cleaning, it’s not the smartest move you can make. You see, chemical drain cleaners are quite powerful and can actually do more harm than good. With highly caustic ingredients, these chemicals can—and will—cause erosion inside your pipes. Eroded pipes aren’t just a nuisance; they can lead to leaks, breaks, and major plumbing issues down the road.
Good Guys Home Services: Fort Collins’ #1 Plumbing Company
Are you cooking in a hurry? It can be tempting to treat your drains like a garbage shoot for unwanted food. Simply don’t have time to clean out the bathroom drains? You might turn to quick chemical products promising cleared drains in seconds. But some things can have potentially negative impacts on your home’s plumbing.
Before you take care of a drain issue yourself (and potentially damage your drains or pipes in the process), call Good Guys Home Services. We are #1 in Fort Collins for plumbing and HVAC. Give us a call today at (970) 818-8008 or fill out our online form to schedule your appointment.
We offer year-round plumbing and HVAC services throughout Northern Colorado. Located in Fort Collins, we also serve the following areas: Loveland, Ault, Greeley, Denver, Windsor, Boulder, and Longmont, Colorado.