10 Preventative Maintenance Tips for Keeping Your Toronto Home’s Drains Clear

Everyone knows that clogged drains and gunky buildup isn’t good for your plumbing system. However, how do you avoid this issue from happening in the first place? In this article, we will examine what our experts have to say about keeping the drains in your Toronto home clean.

1. Understand the causes of clogged pipes

Before we learn about how to keep the drains clean, you should know what’s blocking them. It’s the most important advice you should heed when it comes to keeping the pipes clear. Here are some common causes of a clogged drainage system:

a) Unwanted debris and buildup

This is mostly caused by foreign objects that find their way into the pipes. Any foreign material, be it food, hair, soap scum, rust, or insoluble products, that goes down the drain can choke up your whole plumbing system.

b) Corrosion of pipes

Another common occurrence that professional plumbers often come across when checking for clogged drains in Toronto is pipe corrosion. 

This usually happens with plumbing that was installed a long time ago or has been exposed to poor water quality over the years. At times, certain chemicals flowing through the pipes can also cause corrosion.

2. Use strainers or drain guards

We cannot stress enough how important it is to use a strainer or a drain guard when using the sink. It’s understandable that hair, soap scum, debris, or anything that isn’t able to pass through the perforated strainer will block the drainage in its absence. Use them in the kitchen and bathrooms to avoid any plumbing malfunction.

3. Hot water can work wonders

Something as simple as pouring hot water down the drain after each use can be extremely beneficial for your drains. No matter how careful you are, debris and food particles can find their way down the drain. Letting the hot water flow after each wash up or cutting and cooking session can break down the buildups, if any, and keep the pipes free from blockages.

4. Snake your drain when possible

We recommend using a drain snake or auger every once in a while. The number of times you should do so depends on the frequency. With heavy usage, you might have to do the process often. On the other hand, if the load on the plumbing is low, you can do it once every year.

5. Schedule plumber visits for outdated drainage systems

You may not think much about it, but scheduling plumber visits to check up on the drains in your Toronto home might not be a bad idea. 

Often, we ignore cleaning or examining our drains for long periods, which can lead to unwanted blockages that just won’t go away. Professional plumbers have years of experience and can solve a plumbing problem before it becomes a headache.

6. Know about what not to put down your drain

Just as you now know about the common causes of blocked drainage systems, it’s better to have an understanding of what should not go down your sinks and shower drains as well:

a) Fats and oils

Fats and grease that are used up can go down the drain in the blink of an eye and choke the whole line if you aren’t careful. You can take care of this problem by: 

• Make sure to first wipe down the utensils and cooking ware with a reusable cloth before washing them. 
• Let the used-up oil and fats cool down and dry before scraping them off into a container assigned for this specific use.

b) Hair, plastics, and paper towels

It’s a common perception that paper towels are dissolvable, but it’s not a correct one. Toilet paper is water-soluble because it is made to be, however, paper towels are not. So, it’s not wise to dump these down in the toilet bowl as they will clog the pipes. 

Similarly, it’s important to keep an eye out for the hair, soap scum, and plastics clumping on the holes of your bathroom or bathtub strainer. Always remove these and dispose of them properly.

c) Used up tea leaves and coffee grounds

Another hazardous thing for your drainage system is using tea leaves and coffee grounds. These will never dissolve and will simply choke up the drain quickly. Be mindful of how you dispose of these items.

7. Don’t leave the blockage unattended

You might have heard the saying, “A stitch in time saves nine.” Well, that’s true for the drains in your Toronto home as well.  When you leave a blockage problem unattended, it leads to a bigger buildup, which is then considerably difficult to deal with.

Every plumber who is worth their salt will always ask you to not ignore the blockages, even minor ones, and call a professional immediately.

8. Use a DIY homemade drain cleaner

Using a mixture of vinegar and baking soda to open clogged drains is a very good idea. This doesn’t cost much and does an amazing job, at least for minor blockages. It’s a good idea to preemptively use this mixture every once in a while to break down buildups that aren’t yet visible, but are forming steadily.

9. Have the right tools for the job

When it comes to plumbing, not having the right knowledge and tools can prove to be costly. Your home drainage system is, in fact, an intricate network of pipes. 

Thus, have your augers, drain snakes, and set of pliers and wrenches ready and nearby when you need it. Always go in fully equipped because using the wrong tools to do the job can do more harm than good.

10. Care for particular drains individually

As you might have noticed, there are different types of drains in your Toronto home, which means that you will need to care for each of these in a particular way. 

For example, your kitchen sink might not become clogged due to hair. Usually, grease, oil, and food debris are the culprits in this case. Similarly, your shower and bathtub drains will often be clogged due to hair buildup or soap scum. So, you will need to watch out for these items.

Brothers Plumbing—Your Go-To Source for Drain Cleaning and Replacement Services in Toronto

Ultimately, being vigilant of what goes in and around your drains could save you a lot of trouble and money in the long term. 

If you still have any questions or need same-day plumbing services, call the experts at Brothers Plumbing at 800-741-8471 or contact us online right away. We’ll be more than happy to help you out.