The drains in your home should not be viewed as a magical place where things go down and never come back. Drains can actually become clogged quite easily, especially if you are not aware of why clogs can occur. Here are some common reasons why you could have clogs in your home's plumbing system.

Flushing Inappropriate Items Down Toilets

Too often is the toilet used to flush things that shouldn't go down it. Some common culprits of toilet clogs include hair that's pulled out from brushes, feminine products, wipes, and paper towels. It is also not unheard of for people to flush cat litter down their toilet, especially since some are advertised as being flushable. If you have kids, it's possible that a toy somehow finds its way down the toilet as they explore where things to when they pull the handle.

You need to take steps to ensure that only toilet paper is going into your toilet. Remove temptations for things to be flushed down the toilet by removing them from the bathroom or placing a small trash bin directly next to the toilet. It is not your own behavior you need to be concerned about, but what other family members are doing when they are in the bathroom.

Dumping Grease and Food Down Drains

Another common cause of clogs occurs when you dump inappropriate things down your kitchen sink's drain. You may not think much of putting grease down a drain while cleaning a pan, but that grease will harden and narrow the diameter of the drain pipe that kitchen sink wastewater passes through. The same can be said of starchy foods. 

Pasta tends to expand when it gets wet, and sticks to the inside of pipes. You may think that the pasta is small enough to flow through your drain, but it can actually lead to a problem that is difficult to clean on your own. You're better off using a drain strainer to catch food and throw it away.

When you do have a clog, don't reach for Liquid-Plumr or Drano to fix it. This is because these commercial cleaners can actually cause more harm than good. The chemicals work by dissolving clogs, but the problem is that they are often too strong for old plumbing. Instead, you should reach out to a local plumber for assistance. They can clean a drain using a powerful snake, or retrieve objects that have been flushed and stuck in the pipes.

For more information, contact a company like Brother's Plumbing today.

Share