Running into a blocked drain in your home in Tunbridge Wells can be a frustrating experience. This home maintenance issue not only brings unnecessary nuisance but also poses potential threats to your property’s health and functionality. Blocked drains can result in costly repairs if not addressed timely. Therefore, it’s essential to understand why your drains are prone to blockages and how to prevent them effectively.
Drains can get blocked due to various reasons such as accumulation of fats and oils washed down sinks, hair buildup in shower drains, flushing of non-degradable items like sanitary products and baby wipes down toilets, amongst others. Apart from all these causes, properties in Tunbridge Wells typically possess some unique characteristics; the area is known for hard water, which, over time, promotes the buildup of limestone and chalk, causing blockages in your drains.
Finding a reliable solution to cure a blocked drain is one thing, but you would agree that stopping it from getting blocked in the first place is the ideal route to take. Here are few preventative measures you can adopt to protect your drains from blockages.
1. Dispose of Grease Properly: Kitchen drains often block due to grease and fats. To avoid this, never pour grease or cooking oil down the sink. Instead, let it cool, pour it into a disposable container, and throw it in the trash.
2. Use Drain Strainers: Drain strainers are your ally in this battle against blockages. By catching food debris, hair, and other substances, they prevent these from going down the drain.
3. Regular Cleaning: Regularly cleaning your drains with a mixture of vinegar and hot water can do wonders. This safe and natural method helps in removing grime and preventing the buildup of unwanted substances.
4. Use of Bicarbonate of Soda: Bicarbonate of soda is an inexpensive, natural product that can be used to maintain the smooth flow of your drains. Pour a cup of bicarbonate of soda followed by a cup of vinegar down the sink, wait for 20 minutes, and then rinse with boiling water.
5. Be cautious about what goes down your drains: Educate your family appropriately on what can and what can’t go down the drain. For example, hair, food waste, coffee grounds, sanitary items, wet wipes, and more should never go down the drain.
6. Regular Professional Check-ups: It’s advised to schedule regular professional inspections to ensure early detection of potential blockage threats. This preventative measure can save you from blocked drains tunbridgewells larger problems and hefty bills.
7. Install a Water Softener: Specifically for homes in Tunbridge Wells, where mineral buildup is a common concern, installing a water softener can help reduce the hardness of the water, thereby diminishing the likelihood of drain blockages.
In summing up, preventative measures can significantly reduce the likelihood of your drains getting blocked. By implementing the strategies discussed above, you can certainly maintain a healthy plumbing system in your Tunbridge Wells home. However, despite your best efforts, clogs and blockages will occur occasionally. In such a situation, seek help from a professional drain cleaning service immediately. It’s crucial not to ignore these problems as they can escalate and potentially damage your property. Remember, preventative care is always better and more cost-effective than the treatment of an already present problem.