Drain cleaning is an important part of maintaining the health of your drains and preventing a plumbing emergency. If your drains clog due to debris buildup, the flow of wastewater will be restricted, leading to a domestic catastrophe. Drain cleaning should be part of your annual plumbing maintenance schedule. However, some homes can benefit from quarterly or bi-annual cleanings. Below are three factors that determine how often you should clean your drains to avoid blockage.
Waste Management Habits
Some households are more at risk of having clogged drains than others. It all comes down to how you manage waste in your home. Do you flush hygiene products and non-biodegradable items down the toilet? Do you dump food debris, grease, or cooking oil down the kitchen sink drain? If so, you are more likely to have blocked drains. Households where kids accidentally flush small toys and other foreign objects down the toilet are also likely to deal with frequent drain blockage.
If your household has poor waste management practices, you need to clean your drains a few times a year. If you notice water draining slowly down the sinks, you need to unclog and clean the drain pipes. You can also opt to adopt proper waste management habits. For example, you could educate your household on what not to flush or dump down the sink. You can also use drain screens to catch hair, debris, and food particles and prevent them from forming a clog.
Age and Condition of the Drains
Does your home have old drainage pipes? If so, they are likely to clog often. Older pipes may have existing clogs that have built up over time, which increases the risk of slow drainage. Also, if the pipes are damaged, they may allow soil and debris into the system, which obstructs wastewater flow and causes blockage. Old or corroded metal pipes may have rusty bits of debris that trap solid waste and create a clog. To prevent blockage, you should get your old pipes professionally cleaned several times a year.
Location of the Sewer Line
The sewer line is the main drain pipe that carries wastewater from all the drains and sends it to the sewer or septic tank. Since sewer lines are located outdoors, they can suffer intrusion from tree roots. This intrusion creates an obstruction that prevents wastewater from flowing smoothly. If your sewer line is near large trees, you need to clean it regularly. During the cleaning, your contractor should inspect the piping for physical damage and tree root invasion. Repair your damaged sewer line to prevent pipe blockages and sewer leaks.
Regular drain cleaning is the first step to preventing drain clogs and maintaining the health of your pipes. Hire a plumbing contractor for professional drain inspection, cleaning, and repair.