What Your Plumbers Have to Tell You About Preventing Drain Problems | Katy, TX

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When it comes to protecting your home, you want to make sure that you're also looking out for the drains that run throughout your house. And the truth is, there are a number of things that can go wrong. So, we're going to look at some of the things that your plumbers want to tell you about protecting the drains in your Katy, TX home. If you haven't been paying attention to these before you definitely will be once you realize just what they could mean for you and your plumbing situation.

• Avoid Grease and Oil

Grease and oil are two of the absolute worst things for your drains and any plumbers in your area will tell you that. It's because these two things go into your drain as a liquid but when they get in there they start to cool and as they cool they turn into a semi-solid. Then they cause buildup and blockages that you can't get out. Other things get stuck behind them and before you know it you have a serious clog that requires professional plumbers help to remove.

• Install Drain Screens

Drain screens are a thin piece of metal (usually) that covers the drains in your showers and tubs (though you can put them in other drains too). They have small holes that allow water to drain through, but anything else gets stuck on top. This is great to keep soap, hair and dirt out of the drains, which can all cause clogs and blockages. Drain screens are simple to use, inexpensive and could save you a whole lot of money in plumbing fees because when you get a clog you need to call local plumbers to help out.

• Keep Food Out

You don't want to put food into a drain that doesn't have a garbage disposal because it doesn't get broken down. With a garbage disposal anything that you put into the drain will be broken down by the blades. If you don't have this, however, that food is going to pass directly into the pipes and plumbing without being broken down at all. Then, you're going to have large pieces of food that can cause a blockage. They could also start to break down somewhere in the drain and cause a really bad smell that's hard to remove without plumbers help.

• Cut the Food Down

If you do have a garbage disposal you can put some foods down the drain (though it's best if you still don't). The most important thing is to only put soft foods down the drain and things that can easily be broken up. Coffee grounds and rice are two things that retain water and can get stuck and clogged in a drain. Nuts and seeds can get jammed into the disposal itself and cause serious damage. Potato peels and corn husks can get wrapped around the disposal causing even more damage. So be careful what you do put down the disposal, and only if you absolutely have to.

• Keep Your Toilet Clear

You don't want to put anything into your toilet other than toilet paper and human waste. Even things like paper towels and wet wipes are no good for your toilet or the plumbing system beyond it. Make sure that these things go into the trash and your toilet paper is the only thing that makes its way into the toilet to get flushed down. Anything else could cause a backup or it could just cause damage somewhere further down the line.

• Use Cold Water

Your local plumbers want you to know that if you're rinsing anything down your garbage disposal it's actually a good thing to keep the cold water running. Now, you already know you need water, but you may not have paid much attention to the temperature of it. The important thing to note is that cold water is going to make sure everything flows through even better and your local plumbers would tell you that to make sure you don't end up with a clog because of poorly flushed out drains.

• Boil Out the Drain

Now, contrary to what we just said, boiling water can be a good thing to put down your drain as well. You want to do this when you're cleaning things out and the great thing is that the hot water can actually help break down grease and oils that do manage to get into the drain. Even small amounts of these things can be a problem over time so using boiling water can help you to break them down and flush them away quickly, before they have time to cool and harden again. This is a great way to clean out the drains regularly.

• Get Professional Maintenance

Your local plumbers definitely want you to know that regular maintenance is the key to everything. If you take the time to call a plumber and schedule routine checkups for your plumbing it's going to save you a great deal of money in the long run. They can take care of minor problems before they turn into something major or even before you realize that there's something wrong. Wouldn't it be great to cut down the number of times you have to call those local plumbers? And you can if you do regular maintenance.

When you're looking for a professional to take care of your Katy, TX home make sure you call bluefrog Plumbing + Drain of Northwest Houston. You're definitely going to want the best possible care for your home and this is where you're going to get it. We'll treat your home just like we would treat our own and that means we're going to get the problem taken care of right away. Whether you have a major problem, a minor problem or just want general maintenance, we're going to get it taken care of for you in no time at all. Just give us a call and schedule an appointment for your Katy, TX home.