Don’t Forget Your Drains this Spring!
Spring officially arrived this week! This is the perfect time to refresh your home, and that includes your plumbing. Your drains work hard, and collect grease, soap scum, hair, and debris, which can lead to slow drainage and unpleasant smells. However, a little spring cleaning for your drains can go a long way. Today, let’s chat about some ways you can help keep them running smoothly all year long.
Inspect your home
The first step to uncover a potential issue with your drains is to do a thorough inspection around your home. Look closely under your sinks for any signs of leaks or moisture. When running water in your sinks, tubs and showers, be sure to watch for slow drainage. Lastly, use your nose! If you detect a musty or sewage like smell, that’s a good indicator that your drains need a good clean.
Clean your drains
We advise against using harsh chemicals in your plumbing. The good news is that there is a natural, and less expensive, option to clean your drains effectively. And, even better, you likely have what you need already in your home. Follow these steps:
Pour ½ cup of baking soda down the drain.
Pour 1 cup of white vinegar and let it fizz for 10–15 minutes.
Flush the drain with hot water to wash away loosened debris.
Remove hair and soap scum
For trickier clogs and blockages, you might need to enlist the help of a drain snake. It is a long, flexible metal cable with what looks like a corkscrew on one end, and a handle on the other. While professionals may use an electric drain auger to get through very tough clogs, what you would typically use in your home is a hand-operated auger, with anywhere from 20-50 feet of cable.
To use, insert the snake into the drain and push it through the clog, then pull it back out. For full details on how to use a plumbing snake, we have a helpful blog that can be found here.
Check outside
Don’t forget about outside! Once the snow melts, and temperatures warm up, it’s time to grab your ladder and remove any leaves and debris from your gutters and downspouts. Once cleaned, make sure that your downspouts are positioned to direct any water away from your home. Keep an eye out on how much water pools in your yard after rain, as you want to ensure drainage is efficient.
Use preventative measures
In most cases, prevention is the best way to avoid clogs. Therefore, keep these tips in mind to help keep water moving smoothly throughout all your drains:
Avoid pouring grease or oil down the drain.
Use drain screens to catch hair and food particles (especially in your bathroom sinks, showers, and bathtubs).
Regularly flush drains with hot water.
If you find that plunging or snaking isn’t clearing a clog, if several drains are backing up in your home, or you continue to smell an unpleasant scent from your drains, it’s likely time to enlist the help of Action Plumbing. Our team is here to help, so don’t hesitate to give us a call.
Spring cleaning your drains can save you from expensive plumbing issues and help keep your home smelling fresh, so be sure to keep these tips in mind!