When the weather drops this time of year, grease and other residue stiffens in pipes making them more likely to clog. Be careful what you put down your kitchen sink! Grease, coffee grinds and food debris – especially leafy greens that take more time to break down – can plug your drain any time, but especially when colder temperatures harden this gunk inside your pipes. Before and after you use your kitchen drain, run a little water down it to flush away small particles and prevent buildup. Using a degreasing dish soap like Dawn can help when you are washing those frying pans in the morning, but make sure to wipe the grease out with a paper towel first before you wash them. Your stop valve is (usually) located under the kitchen sink and can corrode over time. It’s a great habit to check this valve by opening and closing it a few times every few weeks, to make sure it’s still in working order.

Regular Drain Cleaning Helps

Regularly clean your bathtub or shower drain for blockages before real problems occur. We know this is a gross job, but digging small hairy clogs out before they become solid will save you headaches in the future. Use a little drain cleaner if you have to, but remember the environment, and besides, eco-friendly muscle and a drain cleaning tool (long tweezers or a bent metal clothes hanger works great!) is usually just as effective. Drain screens work wonders in preventing nasty clogs, and are easy to remove for cleaning. You can find them at almost any hardware store and they just simply pop into place over the drain opening.

Benefits of Video Pipe Inspections

When you get a nasty clog that just will NOT respond to plunging or other drain clearing methods, you may want to consider giving us a call. We can inspect your pipes or take them apart to clean them out, use a snake or video to inspect the problem. The main benefit of video pipe inspections is that they clearly define the problem and specifically locate the debris. This is especially helpful with recurring clogs that may eventually back water up onto your floors, damaging wood and even drywall.