Clogged drains are a part of everyday life, and they are one of the more common household nuisances that can bring your day to brief halt until they are fixed. But even given that clogging is something that can easily occur, it shouldn’t occur regularly. If you have to ask the question, “How often should my drains clog up?” then you are probably experiencing them far too often. Fortunately, there are some solutions to routine trouble with clogging.

Professional drain cleaning

Although there are some clogs that are impossible to avoid no matter how carefully you watch after your drains (such as when an object like a bottle cap or a child’s toy goes down the drain), the majority can be prevented thanks to regular drain cleaning services.

This doesn’t mean you should pour a bottle of liquid drain cleaner down your drains every few months! The chemicals in those cleaners are highly acidic and could permanently damage drainpipes. They also won’t eliminate the root problems that lead to clogging. Instead, you must rely on professional plumbers to clean out the drains. Plumbers use tools such as motorized drain augers (also known as drain snakes) and high-pressure hydro-jetters to thoroughly clean out drains. These methods won’t harm pipes and can eliminate build-up and debris completely from the pipe walls, making it difficult for clogs to start again. A routine drain cleaning once a year should reduce trouble from clogs to a minimum—hopefully none at all.

Drain covers

Another precaution to take with drains is to have drain covers over them, especially for the drains in the bathroom sink and showers. This will catch hair, one of the leading causes of drain clogs in the bathroom.

Watch out for FOG

FOG stands for “fats, oils, and grease,” which look harmless in hot liquid form, but turn into tough solids as they cool. Avoid pouring FOG from cooking down your kitchen drains, and instead place it in a separate receptacle to remove to the trash.

If you wish to schedule regular drain cleaning from professional plumbers, give Lifeline Plumbing, Inc. a call. We service Elgin, IL and the rest of Chicagoland and Fox Valley.