How To Prevent Drain Blockages

SYDNEYSIDERS: PREVENT DRAIN BLOCKAGES AND PREVENT EMERGENCY PLUMBER CALL OUTS

A blocked drain or multiple blocked drains at your property can signify a real plumbing problem. Don’t let your blocked drains remain blocked – call our team today to have an expert attend to your drain blockage ASAP. Did you know a blocked drain is considered a plumbing emergency?

In this article, we’ll take you through our top tips on how to prevent drain blockages. Print out this list and keep it handy, ensuring everyone in your home is on the same page as to what can and cannot go down the drain.

REGULARLY CLEAN PLUG-HOLES IN BATHROOMS AND KITCHEN

These two rooms in your home are prone to the most amount of debris clogging your drains. In the bathroom, the main culprit is hair. You may think that a little bit every now and again won’t hurt but let me tell you…. it all adds up! In the kitchen, how often would food scraps, oil and dirt find its way down your drain? It would be worth investing in a strainer plug to stop this from entering your drain.

DON’T FLUSH FOREIGN OBJECTS DOWN THE TOILET

Foreign objects consist of sanitary products, wipes, nappies, and paper towels. Even if these products claim to be flushable, we highly recommend avoiding flushing them. They are unable to break down in drains and cause blocked drains very frequently to occur. Placing a small bin beside your toilet could be a worthwhile solution.

AVOID PUTTING FOOD SCRAPS DOWN THE DRAIN

Do you know what food is the biggest culprit for clogging drains? RICE! Before cleaning your dishes, scrape all food scraps into the bin and then wash. I know it’s far easier to rinse them, but you’re clearly reading this article for a reason.

DON’T PUT COFFEE GROUNDS DOWN THE SINK

I must admit, I am guilty of this sometimes. A combination of coffee grounds, oil and grease is a recipe for disaster. There are many better ways to dispose of your coffee grounds, including putting them in the bin, a worm compost or even your garden. Coffee grounds act as a fertiliser for your garden so why waste putting them down your drain?

Any kitchen scraps should find their way to the bin, not the drain. Once in the drain, they’ll make their way (or not) through your pipes and out to the ocean eventually, where they could cause harm to the environment and marine life. However, chances are along their way they’ll do some damage on your drains and pipes.

HERE’S A LIST OF THE MOST COMMON KITCHEN SCRAPS THAT DEFINITELY DO NOT BELONG IN YOUR DRAINS

• Coffee Grounds — coffee grounds are not easily dissolved and will block drains faster than you think.
• Pasta, Rice, And Bread Offcuts – these materials expand with water and will not move easily through a drain. These food products will be caught in your drains super-fast.
• Meat And Poultry Scraps (Including Fish Bones) – The fat from any meat scraps gets caught easily and will create a backup of debris. Fishbones only make the clog worse as they get caught in any small blockages that already exist.
• Vegetable Ends, Peels, And Cut-Offs — If you’ve ever peeled a carrot over the sink and thought “it’s fine” as you’ve watched it disappear you wouldn’t be alone, but vegetable ends and peels block up your drain in no time, especially when they get caught with other kitchen scraps.
• Eggshells – not easily ground up and a big one for blocking other materials from moving through a pipe!

Don’t Dispose Of Grease And Oil Down The Drain

This is a big no-no. It may seem innocent when you do it whilst washing your dishes, but in cold temperatures, these oils will harden and turn into lumps which can contribute to blocked drains.

TIPS TO DISPOSING OF GREASE AND OIL

• Put oils straight in the bin.
• Dispose of oils in an old jar and then throw the filled jar in the bin.
• Put oil in the fridge or freezer until it solidifies, and then dispose of it in the bin (this may be the most effective/tidy way)
• Following these simple steps and forging some new habits, you will be on the way to preventing your drains from unwanted blockages.

KEEP READING TO LEARN SOME KEY TIPS TO PREVENT BLOCKED DRAINS

Keep Grease And Oil Out Of Your Drains. 

Instead of clogging your drains up with that excess oil from your can of tuna, it’s recommended to dispose of it in a container to throw out with the weekly rubbish.

Although both grease and oil seem harmless, both harden once they enter your pipes and will build up over time. Other forms of debris can also build up with greater ease, more likely to cause you a blockage.

Use A Sink Strainer.

If used correctly, these are a fantastic asset. They will stop any forms of debris from entering your drains, such as scraps of food, hair, and dirt. This enables for you to dispose of this debris in your rubbish, as opposed to down your drain.

Only Flush Toilet Paper Down The Toilet

No exceptions! Things such as paper towels, wipes and sanitary items will be too heavy for the toilet and plumbing system to handle. A suggestion to avoid this from happening is to add a small rubbish bin beside the toilet for these materials.

Every Week, Pour Some Boiling Water Down Your Drain

This will help to break down debris that has built up in your drain, helping to prevent blocked drains from occurring. If you have a blocked drain that boiling water can’t seem to solve, you will most likely be in need of a plumber. If that is the case, feel free to contact the friendly team at Proximity Plumbing.

Don’t Forget Your Outside Drains. 

Outside drains around the garden or your stormwater drain can easily get blocked, especially after a big rain event or a sudden storm. Here are some things to be mindful of:

• Soil, grass and garden scraps – including weeds! Outside, garden drains can become blocked super-fast with this material.
• Bottle caps and straws – whether metal or plastic, straws will create blockages and take a long time to break down. After that big family BBQ make sure all these items are in the bin, not down the drain.
• Check your gutters for debris like twigs, leaves and dirt – especially coming into storm season.

SPEAK TO ONE OF OUR FRIENDLY PLUMBING EXPERTS TODAY

Proximity Plumbing has been serving Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs for over 10 years. In that time, we have earned a reputation for being honest, reliable, and affordable. We pride ourselves on our workmanship, our skills and knowledge, but most of all on how we treat our customers.

If you are looking for an expert plumber to help you solve your plumbing problems, then feel free to reach out for an obligation free quote.

Call Now