How often should you clean your drains?

Our Toronto plumbers are often asked: "How often should you clean your drains?" and we thought we'd take the opportunity to explain all about why, how, and how often you should clean your drains.

For most homeowners, as-needed sewer drain cleaning will suffice, assuming that it is done before clogs can cause major drain backups that spill raw sewage. Left too long, clogs can result in costly and inconvenient repairs and nasty cleanups.

Before a clog blocks up your sewer lines completely, it will generally offer a few clues:

●Gurgling sounds from toilets and other drains
●Water pooling around toilets and drains
●Water backing up
●Raw sewage smells permeating from the drains.

Call Anta Plumbing before your clogged drain becomes a major problem.

Sewer Drain Cleaning & Maintenance

Understanding why drains become blocked and how you can prevent blockages can help your drains to stay clear and free-flowing. Regularly cleaning your drains will ensure that no deposits stick to the walls, causing backups and causing nasty spills.

Older sewer lines should be inspected to maintain their integrity. If you've lived in the house for a number of years and your plumbing system has a history of slow draining or tree roots in drains, it is important to have it cleaned by a professional on a regular basis.

Professionally trained master plumbers use high-pressured water jets (known as hydro jetting) to effectively remove tree roots, foods, mineral deposits, fats, grease, and oil from inside the pipes. This method is more effective than using a drain snake or auger, because it doesn't only clean out the obstruction, but effectively cleans the pipe walls to offer a long-term solution to prevent backups.

Treat & Prevent Backups

Here's how you can keep your drains flowing freely and your system performing well:

DIY Cleaning - Different drains become clogged for different reasons and have to be dealt with in different ways. Use salt, bicarbonate of soda, and vinegar to clean your drains at least once a month.

Maintenance - Keep your drains clear by being careful what you allow to enter, and by pouring bleach into the drain holes occasionally, followed by hot water.
Fight FOGs - Don't allow fats, oils, and grease to enter your drains. However, no matter how careful you are, it will build up over time. Pour 1/2 a cup of dishwashing detergent down the drain, followed by a large volume of hot boiling water.

Hot Water - Once a week, flush your drains with water that is much hotter than your normal bath or dishwater.
Running the Garbage Disposal - When you run the garbage disposal, be sure to use a lot of cold water, instead of hot water. In a cold state, oils and grease congeals and is easier to be broken up by the garbage disposal. Hot water on the other hand will melt the grease, encouraging it to coat the insides of the drain.

Anta Plumbing has licensed plumbers who are experts at repairing damaged drain lines and opening slow drains. If you are struggling to solve drain issues on your own, call Anta Plumbing.