The Leading Causes of Clogged Drains, and How to Prevent Them

There’s a very old and popular saying that “knowledge is power.” To that, we respectfully say “hogwash.” Knowledge doesn’t get anything done – rather, what you do with the knowledge is where real power lies.

So, with that in mind, we’re pleased to present five of the leading causes of residential clogged drains. By knowing what you are, you’ll then have the knowledge to take precautionary steps to prevent clogged drains in the first place.

1. Grease – What do you call the day after Thanksgiving? Black Friday, of course. Well, so do plumbers in countries around the world that celebrate Thanksgiving as a holiday. That’s because there are more clogged kitchen sink drains on that day than any other during the year. Why is that? Because that’s the day when more grease gets poured down garbage disposals than any other – by far. So whether it’s Thanksgiving or any other day of the year, pour grease into an old coffee can or similar container that can be thrown out with the trash. Do that regularly, and you’re bound to prevent one or two clogged drain emergencies per year.

2. Paper – Pretty much only toilet paper is designed to break down to prevent your toilet from clogging and backing up. But that doesn’t stop tons of home owners from using their toilet bowls and flushable receptacles for paper towels, cigarette butts, babies’ wipes, feminine napkins, and more. Stick to toilet paper, and you’ll have a lot less material sticking to the inside of your toilet drain lines.

3. Food – Simple rule of thumb: if you can’t grind it up in the garbage disposal, don’t pour it down the kitchen sink drain. Food particles pretty much don’t break down, not even over time. Quite the opposite, in fact. They find a nice, comfortable hiding place inside your drain line, invite other food particles to join then, and before you know it, you have an unmovable feast on your hands.

4. Hair – Hair loves to hang around inside drain lines and can cling to just about anything. So if possible, add a screen or filter to any drain where people brush or wash their hair. And if you can do that, lay some paper towel over a drain before brushing your hair or trimming your beard and then throw the “leftovers” away in the trash. Remember: every little bit helps.

5. Bath salts – Whoever heard of bath salts clogging up a drain? Actually, we do all the time. And for very simple reasons: people love them and many such products don’t dissolve. Instead, they collect and build up inside tub drains. So before buying your next supply of bath salts, read the label to make sure they’re soluble.

While this advice might help you prevent clogged drains in the future, you could still have a problem in the here and now. If that’s the case, contact Your 1 Plumber now for prompt and effective problem resolution. Period.