Drain

How to Prevent a Blocked Drain?

Blocked Drain Prevention

Are you tired of having regularly blocked drains? Would you rather not have to pour toxic chemicals down the sink or shower to stop them from clogging up? Wouldn’t you rather just have drains that don’t get blocked, and avoid the messy, smelly blockage of dirty wastewater in your kitchen or bathroom?

We’re big believers in preventing a problem before it happens as much as possible. But often homeowners don’t pay any attention to their plumbing or drains until something goes wrong. And sometimes they don’t pay enough attention to their kitchen and bathroom habits and routines until they need to call in a plumber for a blocked drain.

There are a few easy things you can do to prevent a blocked drain

  • Keep hair out of the drain

    Hair in the drain is one of the most common reasons for a blocked drain – both in the shower as well as in the bathroom sink.

    The easiest way to keep hair out of the drain is to do these three things:

    1. Don’t comb or brush your hair in the shower.
    2. Put a hair trap over your sink or shower drain to stop the hair actually going down the drain (these are small, inexpensive strainers you can buy at a hardware store).
    3. Don’t clear out your combs and brushes in the sink, and don’t try to rinse the clumps of hair down the drain.

    • Even small amounts of hair once in a while can cause a problem. They accumulate and end up creating larger clumps and causing blocked drains.

  • Know what food is safe to put down the drain

    Often a kitchen sink or drain will get clogged because of what is washed down or put into the waste disposal unit. There are specific things that we suggest you do not put down the kitchen sink, regardless of whether or not you’re using a food waste disposal unit or an InSinkErator®. These include:

    1. oil, grease, fat
    2. paper towels, napkins, wet wipes
    3. stringy or fibrous fruit vegetables (e.g. celery, onion skins, banana peels)
    4. stickers from fruit
    5. eggshells
    6. coffee grounds
    7. teabag strings
    8. cigarette butts
    9. contact lenses
    10. dental floss

    If you are using a waste disposal unit, please make sure you are following the manufacturer’s guidelines and are using enough water for it to operate properly.

Have your drains and plumbing checked regularly

If you’re doing all of the suggestions above, yet are still getting blocked drains, it’s time to have your overall plumbing checked. There may be something happening beyond what is visible in or under the sink, or in the shower stall.

In the southern, colder parts of New Zealand, frozen pipes are sometimes to blame for blocked drains. But in Auckland, where the Sumich Plumbing & Drainage team operates, this is a very rare occurrence. Usually, the issues we see are blocked pipes on the property or blockages in the council pipelines (sometimes a problem down your street can create issues in your home). Our blocked drain cleaners can check this out for you – and if the issue is being caused by drainage issues away from your property, the council pays to fix them.

The Sumich team can do regular checks and maintenance on your property to ensure that your pipes are not rusted or corroded, your gully trap is clear, and that the water flow into and out of your property is clear and functioning properly. We’ll also check that there aren’t tree roots that are affecting your pipes – they can clog or penetrate the pipes, and also cause pipes to break from the pressure.

Get in touch with the blocked drain cleaner at Sumich to find out what is causing your blocked drains and how to prevent them.

For advice on how to unblock a sink, read more here. If you’re unsure about any of the tips above, or have a blocked drain that you need immediate help with, give us a call on 0800 437 021 and we’ll get our quick-response Auckland emergency plumbing team out to help you.

Get in touch for a no-obligation quote.

THE SUMICH DIFFERENCE

There are a number of plumbing and drainage companies in Auckland, so why choose Sumich?

Founded by owner-operator Chris Sumich in 1991, Sumich Plumbing & Drainage has one of the most experienced teams operating in Auckland. Our team has a combined experience of over 100 years and we’ve seen a comprehensive range of scenarios and solutions over the years. Clients trust us to give honest, transparent advice and service.

As registered members of the New Zealand Plumbers, Drainlayers & Gasfitters Association, we are professional, licensed Auckland plumbers for all of your plumbing, drain laying, gas-fitting and heating needs. Give us a call to see how we can help.

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