Most Redding homeowners do not give slow clearing drains the attention they deserve. It becomes a slight nuisance, but homeowners rarely act on the issue until the situation has gotten far worse and the drain is now threatening a flood of dirty water. Instead of ignoring these early warning signs, the smart reaction is to eliminate what is slowing the flow of water down the drain before it becomes a complete clog. Understanding a little more about what causes some specific drain clogs can help you eliminate them or at least work effectively to clear the early signs of an issue to avoid a blocked drain and water damage to your home.
A Single Sink Drain That Is Slow To Clear
If only one of your home’s sink drains is slow to clear, the good news is that the issue should be easily resolved. The clog that is forming is close to the sink, and you should be able to remove the minor blockage easily. In most cases, start by flushing the drain for several minutes with very hot water. Then pour a cup of baking soda down the drain, followed by a cup of vinegar. Let the bubbling action work for about 10 minutes, then flush again with several minutes of hot water. You can repeat this cleaning a few times if there are still signs of a partial blockage. But never resort to potentially harmful chemical drain cleaners. If the DIY process does not suffice, a professional drain cleaning is the best alternative.
Knowing the cause of the drain clog is the best way to avoid the issue in the future. Kitchen sink clogs are often the result of too much food waste stuffed into a disposal. The large chunks of food are easily trapped by the greasy residue in the drain lines. Soon you find that the drain is slow to clear and has a sour or rotten odor. Eliminate food waste from your disposal to eliminate most of your tough kitchen sink clogs. Put that food waste in the trashcan and know that it will not be causing your kitchen sink drain to emanate an awful odor in the future.
Bathroom sinks tend to get all choked up by loose hair and beard trimmings. Place a small mesh screen over the bathroom sink drain to stop loose hair and other debris from washing down the drain to create a nasty clog.
A Slow Shower Or Tub Drain
Again, if the issue is with only one fixture, you have a good chance of clearing the clog with the baking soda and vinegar DIY drain cleaning. Tubs and showers see a lot of loose hair, bits of dirt, and oil-based bath products. This combination is a fast track for drain clogs. Placing a mesh screen over the drain is the best way to prevent dirt and debris from washing down the drain and creating a tough clog. And the DIY drain cleaner will help to reduce the sticky residue from oily bath and hair products.
Be Pro-Active
Drain clogs are a part of life if you have a garbage disposal, use moisturizing soap and shampoo, or wash greasy pots and pans. But you can eliminate the nasty residue that creates clogs with an annual professional drain cleaning. This process uses a jet of pure water to clean away residue and tiny blockages that will grow into complete drain clogs. And the process is perfectly safe for your drain lines and everyone in your home because there are no toxic chemicals. So call (530) 244-9727 today to schedule a drain cleaning with the pros at Steve Beaton Plumbing.