Local & Licensed Drain Service in Richmond Hill and Nearby Areas

You may be under the impression that anything that fits down the drain won’t cause problems. That is not the case, and this belief can cause all sorts of long-term damage to the pipes in your home.

Mr. Rooter Plumbing believes in simple but effective repairs and preventative measures to ensure your drainage problems do not occur again. Here are some common causes of a clogged drain, some of which may surprise you:

• Hair: Every time you shower or take a bath, you lose a bit of hair down the drain. That’s fairly common; some drains see more hair than others, especially if you are bathing your pets indoors. Hair can bind with other nasty substances, morphing into large clumps and cause serious drain blockages. Consider installing a drain cover that catches the hair before it can disappear.
• Oils and Grease: Any time you cook with oils, fats, or grease, your first instinct when cleaning up may be to pour all the oil down the kitchen sink. Even if you have a garbage disposal, this is not the recommended way to dispose of oils and grease. These substances can coat the insides of the pipes and create large clogs that can be tough to get rid of. Grease, which is liquid when hot, can harden when cooled after being poured down the drain. It’s better to pour your used oils into a used container and throw it away with your garbage.
• Large Bits of Food: Sending food scraps down the garbage disposal can feel convenient. However, you should never put large bits of food down there. At least most garbage disposals are installed in homes, and they are only equipped to handle small amounts of food waste. If you don’t have a garbage disposal, you should get a strainer to prevent food from getting into the pipes. Certain food scraps, such as coffee grounds, eggshells, large fruits, vegetables, or certain pastas, should be thrown away in the trash or composted if you have the resources to do so.
• Foreign Objects: Sometimes, especially in a house with small children, small objects like toys, jewelry, or even cell phones can wind up flushed down the toilet. Losing jewelry to a toilet is catastrophic, but the added damage it can cause to your water system can be even worse. Any object that is not easily broken down organically risks getting lodged in the pipes and causing a blockage. Installing drain covers is the easiest way to avoid foreign objects in your drainage pipes.