When it comes to performing everyday tasks, we mostly run on autopilot, not really thinking about what we’re doing. But could our everyday habits be doing more harm than we realize? When it comes to your home’s plumbing, the answer may likely be “yes!” Here are a few simple, everyday habits that could be damaging your plumbing. 

Not scraping your plates

Whether you wash your dishes in the sink or using a dishwasher, you should always scrape any leftover food into the bin before you do so. Rinsing food off in the sink or sticking your plates straight into the dishwasher can lead to clogs as the little bits of food accumulate over time. You should also be careful when using a garbage disposal. Don’t throw too much food down there at once and avoid hard food items that could damage the disposal.

Washing away grease and oil

After cooking with oil or grease, it might seem fine to simply wash the leftover down the drain. But this is a big no-no! Cooking oil will cling to your pipes and make other particles more likely to clog your drain. Plus, grease solidifies once it cools, creating a clog on its own. Properly dispose of kitchen grease by allowing it to cool, placing it into a container, and then throwing it away with your regular trash.

Using store-bought drain cleaners

Even when you’re trying to keep your plumbing in good shape, you could end up making it worse. Store-bought drain cleaners contain corrosive ingredients that are designed to essentially eat through the material that’s clogging your drain. The problem is that these ingredients can also be corrosive to your pipes, especially if the cleaner sits on top of a clog for a while. When you next experience a clog, it’s better to call for professional drain cleaning.

Leaving hair in the drains

It’s almost an inevitability that your shower drain will collect hair. But leaving it to build up can cause a big clog in your pipes. Make sure you remove the hair from your drain after each time you shower to keep your pipes clean, and tell everyone else in your household to do the same.

Avoiding these bad habits will help to keep your plumbing in good shape so you won’t have too many nasty surprises. If you do require plumbing maintenance or repair, then contact us whenever you need an emergency plumber.