You’ve gone to do some dishes or prepare a nice meal for a few friends in the neighborhood, and of a sudden you realize that the wastewater isn’t draining from your kitchen sink. What gives?
Well, many different things can give, and this blog post is going to try and identify some of the most common culprits for a drain clog. None of them are particularly good, and if your drain is starting to clog, chances are you’re going to need to do one of two things.
First, you can try to plunge the drain, or use a drain snake to dislodge the clog and allow for water to flow freely through it. But if this doesn’t work, then you’re going to need to invest in professional drain cleaning in Metairie, LA. Our team can be the one to help you quickly and effectively.
However, keep reading to learn more about why the materials clogging your drain might be harder to get dislodged than others.
Common Drain Culprits
Let’s start with some of the more common drain culprits that are likely causing you problems. These usually can be pushed out with a plunger or scraped away with a drain snake, but professional support might still be required depending on how bad the clog is.
- FOG. FOG stands for fats, oils, and grease. These are materials that many homeowners think can be flushed down the kitchen sink, when in reality they’re not good for your drain. The most important reason for this is due to the fact that fats solidify when they cool down dramatically. It’s cooler in your drain, which means hot FOG materials will quickly cool and solidify inside of your drains, causing clogs down the line.
- Rice and coffee grounds. Rice and coffee grounds can grow in size once they soak up water, creating solid blocks in a drain if you’re not careful. Make sure you throw these materials out, or better yet, compost them to help your garden!
- Fruit pits and food waste. Fruit pits end up in the drain accidentally, but they (along with other food waste) can be devastating for your drain and end up clogging the system up.
- Paper towels and coffee filters. No matter what anyone tells you, paper towels and coffee filters should never be sent down your drain. They always belong in the trash.
Less Common Clogging Materials
Here are other less common clogging materials that we’ve seen in drains.
- Kids toys. While you might tell your kids not to put their toys down the drain, anything can happen in a moment when you turn your back. These sometimes are the primary culprit for a serious drain clog.
- Broken or torn plastic. Sometimes a pipe connector or other component to your plumbing system can break off and get stuck in your drain. This can be plastic, rubber, or PVC. These can be pretty bad for a drain system.
- Food wrappers. Practically all of our food comes wrapped in some kind of plastic or paper wrapper. These don’t belong in the drain and should absolutely be sent to the trash.
If you think that one or more of these materials are inside your drain, then schedule a drain cleaning appointment with Natal’s Air Conditioning, Plumbing & Electrical today. Service Honoring the Golden Rule!