Having a clogged drain every so often can be just part of owning a home, but sometimes a problem can be recurring, cause serious inconvenience, and even be a health risk. It is important, however, for all of us to understand that many issues with blocked drains can be resolved before they even begin by taking a little more care with what we put down our drains.
Sydney Water recently stated that they receive thousands of complaints each year from residents about problems with their pipes and drains, with the home occupier themselves often being to blame because of negligence. With over 1.4 billion litres of water being treated each day by Sydney Water, it’s important to take care of what we send through to sewerage.
Too often we pour things down the drain without giving a second thought to where it might go or what effect it could have on the plumbing. Some standard household items could end up causing hundreds and thousands of dollars in repairs. So how can you be more drain smart about what you send down your sink and toilets, and why is it so crucial that we take care of our drains and the sewerage system of our city?
Why Are Our Drains Important?
Most activities and chores we do around the home all tie in somehow with our drains, however we don’t often give it much thought. Because we rarely see what happens to water once it goes down the drain, it’s easy to just assume that the water washes down without a bother.
The health of our drains is important as they’re responsible for carrying our water and waste away and keeping our homes sanitary. When they become blocked or clogged not only can it have a huge impact on the running of our house, but it can end up costing many thousands of dollars just to fix.
Keep These Out of Your Drains
Most people are unaware of just how bad many household items can be bad for your sinks and drains, and commonly flush these down without a second thought. However, just like most things in life, the best defence is prevention, so it pays to stay educated on what can and can’t go down the pipes.
For healthy pipes and a cleaner sewerage system, keep these out of your drains:
- Fats and oils from cooking
- Food scraps, even those from fruits and vegetables
- Non-biodegradable products
- Excessive amounts of laundry and dishwasher detergent
To ensure you keep your drains and our sewerage systems clean, you can invest in an inexpensive strainer for the sink so that food scraps don’t go down, and try to limit the amount of dishwashing detergent you use. For oils and fats from cooking, pour these into containers and put them out with the rubbish, or simply wipe out your frypans and saucepans with paper towels and again, put these into the rubbish.
Don’t Flush It
Not only are our bathroom and kitchen sinks prone to clogs and blocks, but our toilets are too. These lead directly into sewerage so it’s important not to try to flush away items that are harmful to the environment. For healthy pipes in your bathroom, keep the toilet free from:
- Wet wipes
- Nappies
- Sanitary products
- Wrappers
- Medicines
To remind you, your family members, and friends, keep a small bin in your bathroom. This way, if you’re ever tempted to flush something down the toilet for convenience, the bin will be ready and waiting.
Calling the Professionals
If the damage has already been done and you need assistance with a clogged or blocked drain, our team at JEDI Plumbing is happy to help. Our professional plumbers and gasfitters can provide emergency plumbing services when you need it most, so phone us around the clock on 0411 774 381.