You wash your hands as the water in the sink sits for a moment before draining away. Or as you’re rinsing off in the shower, the water collects around your ankles. These minor nuisances, the sluggish drains and occasional gurgles, may appear benign. But here’s the secret: ignoring those little signals from your plumbing could very well result in much bigger, messier, and far more expensive problems.
The Chain Reaction of a Clog
Consider what goes down your drains daily. In the kitchen sink, it’s grease, food scraps, and coffee grounds. In the bathroom, it’s hair, soap scum, toothpaste, and dirt. Over time, these materials stick to your pipes, building up like plaque in an artery. You may notice a slower drain. As the buildup thickens, the pipe narrows, causing a total blockage. With a completely blocked drain, water may back up into your sink, shower, or toilet, resulting in messes, bad smells, and costly water damage to floors and cabinets.
The Expensive Fallout
Call a plumber immediately when your drain has become clogged. Emergency services can be pricier. The plumber may use a snake or a hydro-jetting machine to clear the blockage. If the clog is severe or the pipes are old, the force used to break it up could cause a pipe to burst, leading to larger, more expensive repairs. Avoid paying hundreds of dollars in damages by giving your drains basic care.
Easy Ways to Keep Drains Flowing
To avoid drainage disasters, be mindful of what goes down the sink. Scrape food scraps into the garbage before washing dishes, and never pour cooking grease down the drain. Let it cool and dispose of it in the garbage. In the bathroom, use a hair catcher in your shower or tub to prevent hair clumps. To keep drains running, pour boiling water down them, or use a mix of baking soda and white vinegar, let it settle for 30 minutes, and follow with hot water to clear smaller buildups.
While regular maintenance is beneficial, sometimes clogs or issues occur that need solutions beyond a simple DIY fix. If a drain gets clogged and your efforts to plunge or use other home remedies fail, or if more than one drain begins to cause problems at the same time, it likely indicates a more serious issue in your main sewer line. If you are contending with a more serious issue and need drain cleaning or repair services for your plumbing in your Deerfield Beach, FL home, contact Kyle Plumbing without delay.
