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Drain Maintenance

Keeping drains free flowing is a matter of conducting preventive drain maintenance. Soap scum, hair, sediment buildup, cooking fat and grease can all clog drains and hinder their performance. Slow draining bathtubs, sinks and showers are indicators for partially clogged drains that can be easily cleared with hot water flushing. Waiting until your drain stops completely before taking action will prove more expensive and complex than applying easy to do drain maintenance now and then.

Why wait for your drains to stop working? Submit the form on your right and receive plumbing quotes for drain maintenance.

Preventive Drain Maintenance

The following preventive drain maintenance will keep your drains free-flowing and reduce chances of slow or blocked drains:

Mix a cup of baking soda with a cup of table salt, and 1/4 cup of tartar.
Stir solution and pour 1/4 cup into the drain followed with a cup of boiling water.
Wait 10 seconds and run cold water down the drain.

Conduct the above drain maintenance on a weekly basis for ideal results.

Although chances of slow or clogged drains are considerably higher in homes that fail to carry out periodic drain maintenance, unfortunately blocked drains sometimes occur in homes that have carefully maintained their drains.

Unclogging a Slow Drain

Pour a cup of baking soda down the drain.
Pour a cup of vinegar down the drain.
Wait three hours before carefully flushing mixture with a kettle full of hot water.

Unclogging a Blocked Drain

When forsaking drain maintenance completely, it's only a matter of time before stagnant water will start pooling in your in your bathtub, sink or shower. Standing water is a clear sign of a completely blocked drain. Use a sink or toilet plunger to break up the obstruction and clear the drain.

How To Plunge Toilet, Sink or Bathtub Drains

To Plunge a Clogged Toilet:

Fill bowl just enough to cover the cup of the toilet plunger and create a vacuum seal.
Rapidly pump 10 to 20 times with short strokes.
If water won't drain call your plumber for professional unclogging.

To Plunge a Sink or Bathtub:

Remove strainer and pop up.
Fill the fixture with enough water to cover the plunger’s cup.
Keep the plunger tightly sealed against the fixture and plunge up and down for 20 times.

While plunging or snaking blocked drains is no picnic, preventive drain maintenance is cheap, quick and easy to do. Weekly drain maintenance is a sensible precaution towards downsizing drain cleaning costs and time invested in solving blocked drain scenarios.

Plumber's Tip: Never attempt to plunge or snake a drain after pouring commercial drain cleaners since chemicals may splash back up at you. If commercial drain cleaners failed to clear your problematic drain don't try alternative approaches but instead call a plumber for professional handling. Submit the form on your right and have local plumber contact you ASAP.