Three Common Reasons Your Kitchen Sink Clogs and Signs You Should Call an Emergency Plumber | Cypress, TX

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Nobody wants to deal with a clogged drain in their kitchen. Not only is it unsightly, but it also impairs your ability to prepare meals, wash your dishes, and essentially take care of your family and a hygienic manner. That is why you should call an emergency plumber in Cypress, TX right away after discovering your drain issue.

The longer you wait the more the mess will fester and there's a good chance you'll experience a backup that will compound the situation. It can be tempting to try to fix the problem on your own, but unless you actually resolve the reason why your drain is clogging you will find yourself in need of a plumber in Cypress, TX anyhow. There is, unfortunately, no magic solution that will keep a drain from clogging over and over again if you don't fix the problem.

While an emergency plumber is the right call, you might want to learn some of the common reasons why your sink clogged in the first place to avoid a second plumbing visit. The following list highlights some of the top reason’s kitchen sinks clog in Cypress, TX. Changing a few of your habits may be all it takes to stay away from an emergency plumber visit.

Allowing Grease and Oils to Slip Down the Drain

Greece and oils Can be difficult to dispose of which is why many people slip them down the sink under the guise "of what no one sees won't hurt." Unfortunately, every time you do this you are hurting your sink drain and the rest of your plumbing system.

Take a minute and think about what it looks like when you let melted butter or bacon fat sit in the pan for an hour before attempting to clean it. That thick slimy mess is not pleasant at all, and that is essentially what you pour down your drain every time you wash it out in the sink. While it may go down a liquid, it will congeal as it warms. Unfortunately, this usually happens inside of your pipes. Over time if you keep adding layer over layer of grease to the side of your pipes eventually you will experience a blockage.

You can call an emergency plumber and they should be able to break up the blockage, but if you don't stop pouring the grease down your drain your sink will clog again. While this may be beneficial to the plumber, it isn't to you. If you want to keep your kitchen sink open, you need to pour all grease and oils into a receptacle that can then be disposed of properly. It may take an extra minute to do so, but that extra minute can save you hundreds in emergency plumbing bills.

Too Many Food Scraps in the Sink

The same way it's easier to drain grease down the sink, some people let a few food scraps slide here and there. It may be a noodle or two after draining, some onion skins, or cheese strings that end up down the drain. At the time it's hard to imagine a few food scraps causing a large enough problem that you will end up needing an emergency plumber. The problem is that a few food scraps during dinner one day, and then the next, and then the next add up over time. Eventually, you may even almost have an entire meal accumulated below your drain.

Other people think that because they have a garbage disposal they can drop anything down the sink. Although this would be nice, it is pretty far removed from reality. Most emergency plumbers will actually tell you they see the worst clogs in homes with a garbage disposal. This is because the residents truly believe they can send everything down the drain, and the end result is massive clogs. If you want to keep your emergency plumbing bills at bay, then you are going to want to start scraping all food scraps into the trash before you start washing or rinsing dishes.

Eventual Soap and Chemical Build-up

It may seem counterproductive to say that soap can cause a clog and scum, but unfortunately, it is true. Soap that mixes with mineral-heavy water will over time build up creating that unsightly soap scum line you see running along your bathtub, shower, and even kitchen sink. If you are like most people, a lot of different soaps probably go down your drain from dish soap to hand soap. Other chemicals from common cleaning supplies can do the same thing.

While you can't stop using soap in the kitchen sink, you should be aware of its effects and make a conscious effort to choose drain friendly soap brands. A little more research is worth avoiding an emergency plumber. If it's just a minor clog from soap scum, a healthy dose of baking soda and vinegar may help. However, if the kitchen sink is to the point where nothing is going down the drain, this combo will only add to the scum that is already pooling in the sink. At this point, it's best to skip to the plumber.

If the emergency plumber tells you that your clog was caused by soap scum, it may be worth looking into a water softener. A water softener will remove the hard minerals from your water which will prevent the soap scum from forming. After you install a water softener you should have no further issues with your soap or clogs.

If you are dealing with a kitchen sink that isn't draining, bluefrog Plumbing and Drain of Northwest Houston can send out an emergency plumber to troubleshoot the situation. Not only will our expert team of plumbers get your sink draining properly, but we can assess the situation and offer you some advice to prevent future clogs. Give us a call today and get back to your daily activities without interruption.