How To Avoid the Unwanted Clogged Sink
A clogged sink at home can create an unpleasant, smelly mess as well as a strain on the wallet. Clogged sinks can be obvious when water does not drain smoothly down the pipe. However, sometimes the signs of a clogged sink can be harder to detect. Below are simple tricks to avoid unpleasant odors and clogged sinks.
The Unseen Harm of Cooking Grease
Cooking grease causes harm to pipes when poured down the sink. Running hot water pushes it down the pipes, but it will settle and solidify when it cools down. It can then become a trap for other substances to stick onto. Once this happens, it becomes a ball of gunk that keeps trapping other food particles and substances going down the sink, and it begins to clog the drains.
Clogs that are far down in the pipes will need a professional to clean and unclog the drain in time. It is best to let cooking grease cool down and harden, then throw it in the garbage.
Garbage Disposals: What Can and Can't Go In
Garbage disposals can become a catch-all for food waste. Although some work well, some foods should not go down the drain.
Items homeowners should avoid throwing down the kitchen sink include:
- Grease: Meat fats can act like grease and get caught on the sides of the drain, creating a clog.
- Starchy foods: These leave a residue in the drains that is hard to flow down. Noodles can expand once in the drain, and if there is already a clog, it can stick to the gooey mess and create a bigger clog.
- Citrus foods: Foods such as lemon peels, orange peels and apples help clear out leftovers in the drain and leave a citrus smell when thrown in the garbage disposal.
- Hot water: Against popular opinion, hot water is not the best option because if there is a little bit of grease, the heat liquefies it, letting it go down slowly while it gets ready to solidify against the pipes. Hot water also does not help food break up as well as cold water.
It is good practice to run cold water over the disposal once a week to ensure there is no food in the sink. This also keeps the disposal from rusting, the blades from getting stuck, and keeps the parts running smoothly.
Drain Stoppers: Keeping Unwanted Food From Flowing Down
A drain stopper helps keep the water in the sink and lets the food break off from dishes when soaked in the water. Food that shouldn't go down the drain can be taken out with a strainer and thrown away. Drain stoppers should be cleaned when they are visibly dirty, when the seal is not holding the water, or once a week.
Preventing a clogged sink at home helps the longevity of the pipes and keeps water flowing smoothly.
About Green Hills Plumbing
Green Hills Plumbing has been servicing the Nashville area for 49 years. They provide courteous, trained technicians that are available 24/7 for emergency services. They also offer upfront and fair pricing and guarantee 100% customer satisfaction.
