Are you guilty of any of these common habits that hurt your plumbing system?
Pouring Cooking Oil Down the Sink
A lot of people don’t see the harm in pouring fats and cooking oils down the sink. After all, it’s convenient and it’s just liquid, right? The fact is, it’s not that simple. Oils and fats solidify as they cool, so even though they may be liquid when you pour them down the drain, once they are in your pipes they will solidify, causing nasty clogs and foul odours. Instead, pour your oils and fats into a can or jar, wait for it to cool, then toss the whole thing in the trash.
Flushing ‘Flushable’ Products
There are quite a few products out there that claim to be flushable, from kitty litter to sanitizing wipes. However, it’s important to remember that just because a product says “flushable” on the label doesn’t mean that it’s good for your plumbing. These products take a long time to fully break down after you flush them and can easily cause blockages in your pipes. A good rule to follow is not to flush anything other than toilet paper and bodily waste.
Abusing Your Garbage Disposal
Garbage disposals aren’t meant to be used to get rid of large kitchen scraps. They are designed to dispose of the small bits of food and debris that inevitably wash down the sink, not melon rinds or whole citrus peels. Feeding bigger food pieces into your garburator can dull the blades and jam up the mechanism, resulting in a less effective disposal. Don’t use your garburator as a trash bin, toss those larger kitchen scraps in the compost instead.
Using Liquid Drain Cleaners
Most people reasonably assume that store-bought drain cleaners are good for your plumbing, but they are actually harmful. This is because liquid drain cleaners contain caustic chemicals that eat away not only at clogs but at the pipes themselves. This can result in leaky pipes after repeated use.
Neglecting Regular Plumbing Maintenance
It’s easy to just never call the plumber until there’s something that needs repairs, but you’ll need costly repairs less frequently if you get in the habit of having a plumber do maintenance regularly. You should have your pipes, water heater, and boiler inspected and serviced annually to make sure that everything is running smoothly and fix small issues before they become bigger, more expensive problems.
Don’t wait any longer, book plumbing maintenance today!