Expecting House Guests? Try These No-fail Drain Maintenance Tips

Toilet Bowls

More often than not, toilet bowls stop draining properly because of toilet paper. Hence, you should check if your chosen toilet paper is safe for the toilet with a water test. The next time you throw toilet paper in the bowl, see if it dissolves easily in water so it won’t cause blockages when you flush.

If you can avoid throwing toilet paper inside, even better. 

Here are other things that don’t belong in your toilet bowl:

• Hair

• Feminine hygiene products

• Toilet bowl fresheners

• Children’s small toys 

• Trash such as cotton-pads, Q-tips etc

These drain maintenance tips may seem obvious but you’d be surprised how often professional drain cleaning services find these items in residential toilets.

Shower Drains

When it comes to shower drains, soap scum, dead skin cells, and long hair are the major culprits. These naturally accumulate as you shower and eventually stick to your pipes until it impedes the flow of water.

When this happens, water won’t leave your shower area as efficiently and you may eventually have standing water on the floor.

If water has pooled in your shower area, you’ll need to use a plunger to temporarily move the blockage so the water can go down. Once the floor is empty, see if you can remove the barrier by reaching for it. Otherwise, you can use the end of a wire hanger or purchase a drain snake to dislodge the obstruction. 

If this doesn’t help and water still pools around the shower area, you probably have a bigger obstruction further down your pipes. Professional plumbing services can locate the blockage and remove it for you with the appropriate tools.

To keep your shower drains working efficiently, keep them covered with perforated drain filters so hair and larger objects get caught in them before reaching your pipes.

2. Choose Your Drain Cleaner Carefully

Drain cleaners and the benefits on their labels often make them seem like all-in-one solutions for clogged drains. But you should beware. Several drain cleaners are made up of harsh chemicals that are corrosive to your pipes. Along with the obstruction, they can also damage pipes to the point that they cause the pipes to leak and even burst. 

When shopping for drain cleaners, look for products that can efficiently dissolve clogs without damaging your pipes. The packaging will usually tell you what types of materials it can address and which types of drains it can be used on.

The best way to keep your drains functioning efficiently is to have regular drain cleanings and plumbing inspections. Ideally, this should be once a year. However, if you’re already experiencing serious drain issues and blockages, you may need to get your drains checked as often as once a month.

During the inspection, licensed plumbers will perform preventive maintenance by inspecting, testing, and cleaning your drains. They will also let you know if there are potential issues that can be addressed before they become worse.

Worried about your drains? First Service provides professional drain cleaning, maintenance, and repair services throughout Texas and neighboring areas. 

Based in Big Spring and Midland, we have plumbing, heating, and air conditioning services. We can take care of gas line repairs, water heaters, plumbing repairs and repiping, sewer repairs, slab leak repairs, tankless water heaters, and more.

We are trustworthy, affordable, and reliable. Call us at 432-302-6723   or send us a message for a free estimate.