Five Things That Should Never Go Down Your Drains

August 24, 2018 Published by Leave your thoughts

Your home’s plumbing is designed to effectively process the water that goes down your drains, but it doesn’t always work exactly how it should. Over years of use, it’s not uncommon for pipes and drains to become clogged, which may prevent proper water drainage. While you might not be able to completely avoid drain clogs, there are several things you can do to minimize the chance that this issue will come up and avoid calls to your local plumber in Las Vegas, NV. By being cautious about what goes down your drain, you can promote a healthy plumbing system for years to come. Avoid putting the following down your drain to prevent damage:

  • Fruit and vegetable peels: You might not think much of rinsing vegetable and fruit peels from your sink down your garbage disposal, but this can cause major problems for your drains. Fruit and vegetable peels are tough and fibrous, and garbage disposals usually aren’t able to break them down effectively. Instead of putting these peels down the sink, throw them away or compost them to prevent plumbing damage.
  • Grease: Cooking oil and fat are notorious for creating large obstructions in pipes. As the fat cools down and solidifies, it sticks to the side of your pipes and builds up until water can’t flow through any more. Fat, grease and oil can even cause major problems for municipal wastewater systems. Protect your home plumbing system and your local infrastructure by pouring grease into the garbage and not down the drain.
  • Wipes and towelettes: Even wipes that claim on the package that they are “safe to flush” still probably shouldn’t go down the drain. These wipes won’t break down completely and are one of the most common products that ends up clogging your toilet. Always throw away wipes, makeup remover pads and towelettes in the trash so that they don’t end up creating an obstruction in your plumbing.
  • Eggshells: Eggshells might seem harmless enough, but they can cause serious issues for your kitchen drain. When eggshells are run through your disposal and broken down, they develop a sand-like consistency that may wrap around your shredder ring and do serious damage to your disposal. When they do end up going down the drain, they can stick to residual grease and fat in your drains and contribute to a plumbing clog.
  • Floss: Dental floss often gets flushed down the toilet or the bathroom sink, but this is one of the worst things for your plumbing. Most dental floss isn’t biodegradable and will end up sticking to some of the other debris that’s already in your drain. It can quickly become knotted up with hair and soap scum to form a clog in your plumbing.

If you’re dealing with some drainage issues, let the team at Orchard Plumbing help you out. Since 1999, our team of professional plumbers in Las Vegas, NV has been helping customers with a wide range of plumbing services. We offer plumbing repairs and services as well as drain cleaning, water heater repair, hydro jetting, sewer cleaning and repair and more. We are committed to honesty and integrity, and we’re confident that you’ll be happy with the service that you receive—call us today to get started!

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