Plumbing Mistakes You Will Never Make Again

A blocked kitchen drain can be a real pain. At best, it will bring your cooking to a halt, at worse, it could cause extensive water damage to your property. By following a few simple tips, you can help to combat blocked drains and keep things flowing nicely.

Hot Water Rinse

One of the easiest ways of preventing your kitchen sink getting blocked is to rinse it with boiling water once a week. The steady flow of boiling water will help to wash away deposits of grease and other debris that have started to accumulate in the drain.

Keep it Clean

You should wipe any leftover food from plates before washing them in the sink. Leftover food, especially the type that swells in size when wet, such as rice and semolina, should be scraped into the waste bin. If you fail to do this, the leftover food could become lodged in the drain, causing bad smells and blockages.

Avoid Fat and Grease

If you have fat left over after cooking meats and other greasy items, you should avoid pouring it down the drain while it is still hot. If you do so, as the fat cools it will solidify. The fat will coat the pipes and trap any other debris, which could eventually lead to a blocked drain. You should wait for fat to cool and solidify in the pan and then safely dispose of it in a waste bin.

Use a Drain Strainer

Invest in and use a drain strainer to catch particles of food before they enter the drain. Whenever you see a build up of debris, you should clean the strainer to ensure your kitchen sink continues to drain properly.

Pipe Inspection

You should periodically take a look at the exit pipe on the outside of your property to check that water is flower freely. To do so, turn on the taps on your kitchen sink and leave them running while you go outside. You should see or hear the water flowing unimpeded into the outdoor drain. If this is not the case it suggest there is a blockage deep within the pipe.

If your drains repeatedly suffer from blockages, despite taking the actions above, it may be time to call in a professional plumber or drain specialist. They will be able to better inspect the entire drainage system and advise you on the best course of action.