You probably don’t think that much about the drains in your home—until they start to clog up and cause problems. It’s always best to call on professional plumbers when any troubles like this occur. But there are probably mistakes you’re making with your drains that are causing such problems to be much more likely. Below are three major mistakes you can make with your drains that will lead to more frequent repair calls.

ONE: Pouring FOG down them

Of course, we don’t mean literal fog. FOG is an acronym that stands for “fats, oils, and grease.” These three organic materials left over from cooking are a leading causing of drain clogging. In hot liquid form, they appear innocent enough. But they harden as they cool down, and the residue they leave behind in drainpipes is hard to get rid of. To keep FOG from your drains, pour it into a separate receptacle and remove it to the trash.

TWO: Using store-bought chemical for “cleaning” them

Never use liquid “drain cleaners” on your drains when you encounter a clog. These chemical concoctions are not very effective, and worse, they can actually harm drainpipes with their corrosive action and leave behind toxic residue. Use a plunger to clear your drains, and if that doesn’t work, call a professional plumber.

THREE: Not scheduling routine cleaning

Drain cleaning isn’t only something you should arrange when you have a drain clog. Annual drain cleaning from professionals who use tools like hydro-jetters and motorized drain snakes will help keep away problems from slow drains and blockages, and will result in healthier plumbing in general. You can expect to keep repair emergencies to an absolute minimum thanks to drain cleaning services.

To arrange for drain repair and regular drain cleaning in Elgin, IL, call Lifeline Plumbing, Inc. We offer 24/7 urgent care when you have emergency repair needs.