In the Kitchen

Kitchen drains often clog due to debris or wastes going down the sink that shouldn’t. To prevent clogged drains in this room, never put grease or oils down the sink. This includes cooking oils and fats, such as butter, that can congeal in the pipes, blocking water flow.

Improper use of the garbage disposal is another common reason for clogged kitchen drains. Follow this kitchen plumbing maintenance checklist to help you avoid this problem:

• Always turn your water and disposal on before adding food.
• Never put fibrous or stringy food wastes down the disposal. These include banana peels, celery, potato peels, and other foods that are difficult to grind up.
• Always allow the cold water to run for at least 15 seconds after using the disposal. This ensures food wastes are flushed down the main line.
• Run your dishwasher at night to conserve hot water and maintain good water pressure throughout the day.

In the Bathroom

The bathroom is another room where drains often become clogged. You can reduce clogs and even prevent them by following this plumbing maintenance checklist:

• Keep shower and sink drains flowing freely by reducing your use of bath oils and installing screens over drains to prevent hair from going down the drain.
• Avoid toilet clogs by not using it as a trash can. Ideally, only human waste and toilet paper should be flushed. While tampons and some wipes are labeled as flushable, it is better not to do so.
• Wait about 10 minutes between showers to help maintain proper water pressure and hot water throughout the day. Maintaining proper water pressure helps prevent unwanted stress on your home plumbing system.
• Avoid using chemical clog removal products that can cause more harm than good. These products can corrode your pipes!

Think of all the products you use to wash, moisturize and condition. They are often oily or greasy in order to provide moisture for your skin and hair. Once they make their way down your drain, however, they can cling to pipes, attract other debris and cause blockages.

Weekly Maintenance

Checking on your pipes once a week is great idea for all homeowners. This is good way to prevent small problems from becoming huge, costly ones. Some weekly plumbing maintenance includes the following:

• Check for leaks. Look under the sinks for signs of moisture, such as puddles of water, water marks, a musty smell and mold growth.
• Test all sink and shower drains for speed or drainage. If bubbles appear while water drains, it is usually a sign of a slow drain. All drains should have a full swirl while the water goes down.
• Turn on each water faucet in your home — water shouldn’t be coming out of the handles or valves.
• Clean your lint traps on your washing machine.

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