It isn’t difficult to keep the pipes in your home clog-free.

If you regularly take the trouble to maintain the plumbing system in your home, you will always be assured of clean water flowing out to wash the dishes with or have a shower.

You will also be assured that waste is efficiently flushed out of your home instead of backing-up and shooting out of your toilet bowl.

Many homeowners however neglect taking care of the plumbing system until a leak becomes too much of a nuisance to be ignored or the water pressure is too low to do any household chores effectively.

Here are three simple things you can do to care for your plumbing system in the long run.

1. In the kitchen – use a drainage cover

Kitchen sinks are the most prone to clogging as there is the possibility of debris or food scraps being washed down the sink either accidentally or deliberately.

To prevent clogging, place a drainage cover over the water outlet in your sink so it can trap food scraps and prevent it from clogging up the pipes.

Remember never to use the kitchen sink as a waste disposal unit. Instead, throw bits of food into the dustbin.

Plumbing systems that are clogged with food scraps will eventually emit an awful stench as the food begins to decay. It is also very unhygienic.

One last thing – never throw grease such as fat, melted butter or used cooking oil down the sink as these substances can coagulate in the pipe, consequently ruining the plumbing system.

2. In the bathroom – don’t flush everything down the bowl

The toilet bowl should only be used for flushing human waste and toilet paper.

Products such as wet wipes or tampons should not be flushed down the toilet bowl even if it is advertised on the packaging as flushable items.

Moreover, there are many chemical products in the market that claim to remove clogged debris in pipes. However, these products might cause more harm than good by causing the pipes to corrode.

3. Conduct regular checks and maintenance

Make it a habit to check under your sink for leaks or mold. If you find either, call a plumber to inspect the entire stretch of plumbing and fix the problem as soon as possible.

Leaks that are left unchecked over a long period of time can encourage the growth of mold besides damaging your cabinets or corroding the floor and pipes.

Leaks can also cause your water bills to shoot up and decrease the water pressure in your home.

Always remember to hire a plumber to fix or maintain your plumbing system rather than doing it yourself, especially when leaks, cracks or clogging get out of hand.

This article first appeared in kaodim.com

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