When you own a home, it’s critical to take good care of its plumbing system. That involves understanding what types of drain backups you might run into inside and outside of your home—and how you can prevent them.

Kitchen Drain Backups

Kitchen drains are among the most frequently used in the home. And since kitchen wastewater contains everything from hand and dish soap to grease to bits of food, it’s not surprising that over time, sludge can build up on the inside of the drain. Over time, this narrows the diameter of the drain, making the water run off slower and slower until the drain is completely clogged. You can prevent this by cleaning your drains every one to two weeks. If you use a commercial drain cleaner, remember to wear protective gloves and goggles, and flush the sink and drain out properly afterward. You can also use a homemade solution: Pour a quarter of a cup of baking soda followed by half a cup of vinegar down the drain. Let it sit for approximately 15 minutes. Then slowly pour a kettle of boiling water down the drain to flush it out.

Another type of drain backup you might encounter in the kitchen is caused by a clogged garbage disposal. This happens when the mechanism of the garbage disposal fails—usually because a large or hard object gets lodged in it. If this happens, never try to fix it yourself! Garbage disposals have heavy-duty blades that can cause serious injuries, so do the smart thing and call a plumber. Of course, you can prevent this kind of issue by never throwing things like glass, plastic, or metal down the sink, and ensuring that any organic waste you want to dispose of is in small enough pieces.

Drain Backups In The Bathroom

Sink, bath, shower, and toilet drains can all get clogged. Some of the most common causes include sediment buildup, hair clogs, and large objects being flushed down the toilet. You can minimize the chances of this happening by cleaning the drains regularly and instructing your family members not to flush foreign objects down the toilet.

Sewer Backups

Sewer backups are among the most unpleasant kinds of backups and can occur without much warning. In addition to the buildup of sediment, other causes include obstructions caused by tree roots or collapsed pipes. Unfortunately, there’s not much you can do to prevent them other than to have your sewer lines inspected once a year. This will alert you to any problems before they become big issues that are costly to fix.

Downspout Backups

Downspouts lead rain and meltwater out of your gutter and away from your home to downspout drains, which connect to the municipal storm sewer. Even though downspout drains are equipped with traps to catch leaves, twigs, and other debris, this waste can build up inside the drain and cause clogs. Of course, the result is a backed-up drain with potential exterior flooding. The best way to prevent this from happening is to clear the traps your downspout drains frequently and have a plumber clean the drains around once a year.

Drain backups are never convenient. Moreover, unless they’re taken care of immediately, can result in significant damage to your home. So always make sure to keep up with your drain maintenance, and keep the phone number of a good plumber on hand in case of an emergency.

Call the experts at Stewart Plumbing to schedule your drain cleaning service today!