The pipes in your house are hidden from view, but they work hard every day moving water and waste through the piping system. Over time, that waste causes clogs to build up. As a result, pipes wear down, rust, crack, and start leaking. If the clogs are bad enough, they can cause a pipe to burst, and then you have a lot of damage that’ll need costly repairs. Follow these tips to keep your pipes healthy for a long time.

Use a Drain Catcher

Place a drain catcher in the sink and shower to catch hair and food before they go down the drain. Hair, especially, builds up in the pipes and can cause some nasty clogs.

No Fats, Oils, or Grease Down the Drain

Be careful when washing anything that contains fatty or oily foods and never pour grease down the drain.

Regularly Use an At-Home Drain Cleaner

It doesn’t take that long to perform basic maintenance on the drainpipes, but it’ll help prevent costly clogs.

Once a Week

Take a few minutes each week to run hot water down the drain. Fill a pot with water. Heat until it’s barely boiling. First, pour one-half of the water down the drain. Then, give it five minutes, and pour down the rest.

Once a Month

Use an enzyme-based cleaner once every month to break down sticky food particles.

Twice a Year

Two or three times a year, either use a baking soda and vinegar treatment or warm water and dish detergent to clean the pipes. For baking soda and vinegar, pour one-half cup of baking soda and then one-half cup of vinegar down the drain while running hot water. Continue to run hot water for a few minutes. For warm water and dish detergent, squeeze dish detergent down the drain, and then run hot water for a few minutes.

Know When to Call a Plumber

Despite regular maintenance, clogs will happen. To know if you should call a plumber, ask yourself a few questions:

• Did the clog just spring up, or have you been noticing signs of an impending clog?
• Did you recently put anything down the drain that you knew you shouldn’t have?
• Do you regularly perform preventive maintenance on the pipes?

If the answers are no, yes, yes, and no, then it’s a good idea to call a plumber.

Professional drain cleaning can prevent severe clogs from occurring in the first place and help to keep your pipes working optimally all year long. If you would like to schedule a drain cleaning service, call us at Carlson Plumbing in Fountain Valley, CA for a free estimate today.