Everyday Hacks to Avoid A Blocked Drain!

The guide to avoiding a costly blockage in your pipes!

If you’ve started noticing that the water in your bath, sink, shower or toilets are draining slower than usual, or have just stopped draining at all – you probably have landed yourself with a bit of a drain blockage.

You might have started noticing a bad smell seeping up through the pipes as the backup got worse over time and now it’s actually getting hard to live with, it might be time to call an expert and get that blockage bulldozed! While easily fixed by a trained plumber like ours at Easy Flow, there are steps to prevent a serious blockage from taking place.

The easiest way to avoid a drain blockage is to mind what you pour down them! Time to take note of these easy solutions!

Grease and fat are a drain’s worst enemy

After cooking, don’t dispose of the oils straight down the sink drain, as they will accumulate and stick and eventually create a big ol’ stopper for other things to get stuck on top of! Consider saving cooking oils and fat in a container before tossing it in the trash instead!

Buy a filter to cover a drain opening

Most plumbing shops will be able to assist you with the correct kind of drain-grate/screen to suit your drain fixtures and you’ll thank them for it later when the filter reduces blockages caused by hair or soap scum getting stuck down the pipe!

Always run hot water down the sink after using it for cleaning up pans, dirty plates or utensils

Oils in food products stick to your drain walls like glue. Hot water keeps the oil flowing down the pipe instead of getting trapped against the walls of your drain, eventually leading to slow drainage and inevitable blockages.

Throw coffee grounds into the trash instead of down the sink

Alternatively, you could even add them as compost to your growing garden or to a mulch pile. Throw tea leaves away. Like coffee, tea leaves can accumulate in your drain and cause all kinds of havoc. Best to throw them away with the trash rather than tipping them down the drain.

Avoid using too much loo paper

This one is a given, but it extends to ‘flushable’ wipes as well. Really investigate the claims of flushable wipes, especially if they seem cheap in price because they may not deliver all that they promise and clog up your drain fast. Other things to avoid flushing are sanitary pads and products, wipes of any kind, paper towels or anything that doesn’t specifically state it is designed for going down a drain!

I have a septic tank. How do I avoid blockages?

Many New Zealand rural and semi-rural properties run off of septic tank waste disposal and the rules are slightly more strict than a regular waste drain. The same rules apply as above – but there are a few extras to know about!

Use only biodegradable cleaners down the sink.

Anything that is septic-tank friendly will say so on the back of the bottle, or if it doesn’t, opt for options that claim to be eco-friendly or biodegradable! Your septic tank needs natural bacteria to work properly and break down the matter in the tank, flushing it with bleaches and antibacterials will cause more chaos than calm.

Be sparing with your water usage

Don’t leave the tap running while washing up and keep household laundry washes spread across the week instead of all on one day!

Never flush copious amount of loo roll or any wipes!

Most waste systems are not really suitable for the currently available “flushable” wipes, either for cleaning or personal hygiene use. It is best practise to dispose of these items in a trash bin rather than risking them down the drain, especially when on septic tank waste systems!

If you start noticing slow draining or an unpleasant smell coming from your drains – contact a septic tank servicing company and have them check it out before it gets any worse and most costly!

Blocked drains can be a real pain and interfere with your day to day living and activities. Follow these easy steps to reduce your likelihood of competing with drainage problems!

Have a blockage you want sorting out? Give our expert team at Easy Flow a bell today! Find us here