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Drain maintenance is an effective way to avoid clogs and major drain inconveniences.
Tips on How to Avoid Most Toilet, Sink, And Shower Clogs
Of course we love your business, but we also like to do the right thing and help people. Most drain clogs are avoidable with a little common sense and maintenance. Follow these simple steps and you'll be on your way to a better running drain system.
Most homes have a plunger available, and most toilet clogs are easy to clear by using it properly. Insert the flange plunger into the toilet drain opening. Press in on the plunger and pull up quickly. This will cause a “vacuum effect” and will pull the obstruction in to the toilet bowl instead of pushing it down the toilet trap causing a harder to clear toilet clog.
Keep small objects away from the toilet vicinity. Sometimes objects are left on top of toilet tank lid and inadvertently we will drop them in the bowl causing a stoppage. Plus kids, at least mine, are fascinated with water and the toilet. If it's small enough to pick up my daughter has tried to drop it in the toilet. The sad truth is that we replace a good number of toilets every year because of a toy stuck in the toilet trap. In a lot of cases the toy becomes logged in the trap and cannot be removed without damaging the toilet.
Don't attempt to limit the amount of water flushed down the toilet. People often times try crazy gimmicks like a water bottle in the tank or other products. Yes, this results in a small amount to water savings, but it also causes the toilet to operate at less then designed conditions. If you're really concerned with saving water we offer a full line of dual flush ultra-low water toilets.
Do not flush Q-tips down the toilet. They can get stuck across the bottom of the toilet and catch solids causing major toilet back ups. One will notice only too late when the toilet seams slow flushing, by then the whole trap system is completely clogged with solids.
Do not flush dental floss down the toilet. Floss typically won't clog the toilet but if it comes across any rough surfaces like: iron or cast iron pipe surfaces, that Q-tip you just flushed, cracks, or off-sets it can form a “web” catching everything coming its way causing the hardest clogs and backups to clear
Do not flush dental floss down the toilet. Floss typically won't clog the toilet but if it comes across any rough surfaces like: iron or cast iron pipe surfaces, that Q-tip you just flushed, cracks, or off-sets it can form a “web” catching everything coming its way causing the hardest clogs and backups to clear
Paper towels & feminine products. Probably one of the most common items we find stuck in drain lines. Absolutely under no circumstance should these products go down the drain. Cover your eyes and stop reading if you're squeamish but the insider plumbing terms for paper towels and feminine napkins found in a sewer line is "sewer mice."
If your toilet is running slow don't continue to flush it. This may cause the toilet to overflow and you will have water all over the floor, this can cause severe water damage depending on the type of floor you have. If you’re not sure get a bucket and fill it with water (this way you can control the flow) pour it down the toilet bowl and if you see the water level rising go back to tip #1. If nothing works give us a call we will be glad to help.
Start using a bacteria enzyme every month on kitchen, bathroom, and shower drains. Most plumbing companies and home centers now sell bio-enzymes. Some of these products go by names such as Bio-Clean, Bio-Choice, and DrainMaid. For the most part they are all the same. They enzyme power has active bacteria that breakdown grease and other organic waste. According to manufacture they are also safe for your plumbing, sewer treatment plants and water ways. As far as I know we've never seen damage to a home's plumbing due to these products. That's not to say all drain products are safe. Products such as DrainO and sulfuric acid should never be used. Both cause the glues and plastic bands, used to hold you drain pipes together, to break down.
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