Photo by A Grade Plumbing and Gas
When you sit down to draw up your list of annual summer maintenance tasks, it’s almost a certainty that you won’t include drain maintenance. This is because cleaning drains is one of those tasks that we only do when there’s a blockage or an overflow.
Ignoring regular drain maintenance can often result in you needing to call the local blocked drain plumber to come and clear clogs and overflows. If you don’t think a functioning drain requires too much of your time, then this post is a must-read.
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Understanding Drain Maintenance
Drains, like everything else on your property and in your home, need to be maintained to ensure they work the way they should. Typically, drain maintenance refers to the process of keeping your drains free-flowing and clean. Ensuring that your drains are clean will also prevent blockages and odours.
Drains should be cleaned once a month at least. A few of the more common methods to use include the following:
- Baking soda and vinegar mixture: If your drains aren’t blocked, you can clean them with a mixture of baking soda and vinegar. This solution is excellent for killing bacteria and removing debris. A basic mixture of ½ cup of each should do the trick.
- Boiling water: Routinely pour boiling water down the drain in slow intervals as this gives the water time to loosen fat and grime between each pour. You can also add coarse salt to help break down suborn dirt.
- Drain products: Use drain cleaners that contain enzymes to break down oils, grease, and fat. Caustic soda crystals are a popular choice for this. Speak to your plumber for a list of chemicals to avoid as some may damage your pipes.
- Use a drain snake: A drain snake is an effective way to loosen minor clogs. You can also make one from an old wire coat hanger. Simply straighten it out, bend a hook on one end and then use that to reach into the drain and loosen small items that may be stuck.
Another aspect of drain maintenance is keeping the area around the drain clean and free of leaves, twigs, and anything else that can create blockages. Check the drain for leaks and foul odours that persist even after cleaning, as this may be an indication of blockages somewhere in the pipeline.
Prevention is Better than Cure
Ignoring your drain maintenance can lead to several unpleasant issues you will need to deal with. Some of these can be quite costly and time-consuming. Here are a few of those undesirable consequences.
- Consistent Foul Odors
While it’s true that drains aren’t usually associated with pleasant smells, your drain should also not have a horribly foul odour all the time. This usually happens when organic matter, food scraps and anything else in the drain has become stuck and has started decomposing where it is. The odour comes from the gases released during the decomposition process.
Ignoring this can be unpleasant and can make anyone who works near the drain ill. Avoid this by regularly inspecting the drain and cleaning it as listed above. Where possible, opt for natural products to avoid damaging the plumbing. Make a mixture of water and a strongly scented cleaning detergent and pour that on the outside and into the drain to help clean any residue off the drain.
- Blocked and Overflowing Drains
The biggest side effect of not regularly maintaining your drain is blocked drains. Grease, oils, and fats that are continuously flushed down the drain harden and get stuck to drain walls. When this happens, water can’t flow freely, and blockages occur. Eventually water and drain gunk will overflow out of your drain. This is unsanitary and can pose a health hazard.
Avoid this by regularly checking and cleaning the parts of the drains that you can reach. Enforce the rule of not pouring oil, grease, or fat into your drains as this will minimise the risk of blockages.
- Costly Repairs
When drains are left to become severely blocked and even overflow, then the eventual outcome requires a plumber’s intervention. This can be costly, depending on the type of blockage, where it’s located and what equipment will be required to clear it. Ignoring your blocked drains can lead to sewage backups and burst pipes.
Drains that have overflowed can result in damage to your property, especially if they occur indoors where flooring, carpeting, and furniture can be affected. This will only add to a growing plumber’s bill. Strive to avoid this by simply taking a few hours every few weeks to check your drains and clean them out.
Final Thoughts
No one looks forward to doing drain maintenance, but taking the time to do it will save you money and inconvenience in the long run. Speak to your plumber for additional tips and suggestions tailored to your specific plumbing system to ensure effective maintenance.
Drains that aren’t already blocked or overflowing will benefit from regular hot water and vinegar rinsing. Adding drain maintenance to your maintenance list will go a long way to avoiding a costly mess.
