When you do the dishes after a tasty meal or take a relaxing bath, the remaining dirt flushes down the sink or shower, never to be seen again. Behind this simple yet handy process lies a delicate set of drains and pipes that eliminate waste efficiently. However, certain habits homeowners adopt can jeopardize their plumbing systems, clogging their pipes and forcing them to get drain cleaning services in Delray Beach.
Habits That May Compromise Your Drains
Using Chemical Drain Cleaners
When the drains clog, our first instinct is to solve it ourselves. Here’s when over-the-counter chemical cleaners promise to act like professional plumbers and perfectly dissolve waste accumulated in your pipes. The dire truth behind this product is that its very formula that flushes away filth is the same one that compromises the state of your pipes, corroding their insides and causing leaks.
A professional should handle even the faintest sign of a clogging problem.
Throwing Leftovers Down Your Garbage Disposal
Together with chemical cleaners, leftovers are a drain’s most feared enemy. Families install garbage disposals to avoid smelly trash cans and clogged pipes, but even these tiny waste eaters cannot take care of everything that comes their way.
Foods containing high amounts of starch or grease can stick to the blades of your device and hinder its task, as well as coat the internal structure of your pipes and clog them. Avoid throwing big chunks of food, too, since these will be harder to break, damaging your garbage disposal.
Some foods that don’t mix and match with garbage disposals and drains are:
- Fruit and vegetable peels
- Eggshells
- Rice and pasta
- Vegetable or olive oil
Letting Hair Accumulate in Your Shower
Hair seems thin and harmless, but it can be as clog-inducing as some leftovers. On average, a person loses from 50 to 100 hairs a day, and most of them end up in your shower during bath time. Built-up hair in your drain combines with other substances, such as soap, shampoo, and dead skin cells, forming chunks of dirt that stick to your pipes.
Place a hair-trapping device so you can take accumulated hairballs out after you finish bathing, and brush your hair gently before getting in the shower. Removing wet hair every time or cleaning the floor is better than calling a plumber to replace your whole plumbing system.
Flushing Things That Aren’t Paper Down Your Toilet
With toilets, anything other than paper can result in a clogging issue. For instance, people commonly believe that paper towels don’t harm your pipes because they look just like toilet paper; however, these cleaning devices are made of a more absorbent material that is harder to dissolve and sticks to drains. Cotton and pads may seem harmless, but they become denser with water and can stick to your pipes easily.
Place a trash can in your bathroom and throw out everything you know your toilet can’t handle.
Looking for Drain Cleaning Services in Delray Beach?
Keep your drains in tip-top shape by avoiding chemical cleaners and not throwing leftovers, hair, and trash down your bathroom and kitchen appliances. When your drains are already clogged, our team at Legacy Plumbing Experts Experts can inspect them and take care of the issue for you. Contact our team today!
