Healthy drains empty quickly and don’t smell. If you have a slow drain that doesn’t smell yet, it probably will soon. Most drains are made with plastic pipes. The nice thing about plastic pipe is that it’s smooth; water and clogging materials should move quickly through it.

Don’t Pour Chemicals Down the Drain

If a drain isn’t moving, it’s not safe to pour chemicals down it. First, if they don’t bust up the clog, you now have a stuck drain full of caustic water. If you have poured chemicals down the drain and had to call a plumber anyway, make sure you let your plumber know so they can protect themselves. These chemicals can splash back.

Protect Your Drains from Grease

It’s tempting to drain off cooking grease down the sink; some follow it with hot water. However, some grease can solidify pretty quickly and may linger in the P-trap. Grease can also linger in your garbage disposal and cause a terrible odor.

Drain cooked meat, such as hamburger, in the skillet with a paper towel. Some greases, like bacon grease, can be poured into a jar and saved for later use.

If you have a garbage disposal that is producing an odor, add a degreasing soap to it and pour boiling water down it so the grease is warmed, loosened, and sent on. For simple maintenance, you can also chop up orange and lemon peels in the disposal. The acid in the peel will dissolve any grease that may be clinging.

Protect Your Drains from Hair

Mesh covers are an ideal tool for protecting your drains. Shower drains are common sites of hair clogs. If you pour clog-busting chemicals into a shower drain, it will sit on top of the hair and may eat through the clog. However, these chemicals can also scar the inside of your drainpipe, so the next hair that goes down the drain will catch on the side of the pipe instead of flowing through.

Instead, put a mesh screen over your shower drain to catch hair. Each morning before you get in the shower, pull the hair from the mesh screen. The hair will be easier to remove after it has dried overnight, and your drain will not be at risk of clogging.

Know When to Call a Professional

Drains are something homeowners don’t think about until they fail or become a problem. For drain cleaning, call NCPD Service to check out your Asheville, NC home.