In most households, the kitchen is one of the busiest and most essential spaces in the home. For the kitchen to function, it needs a working plumbing system. If your kitchen sink develops a clog, it can cause backup and prevent you from running your sink faucet or washing dishes. For stubborn clogs or leaking kitchen pipes, you’ll need a professional plumber. However, wouldn’t it be ideal if you could prevent frequent plumbing problems in your kitchen? You can if you follow some routine plumbing maintenance tips. While you can always contact Tioga Contractors for our full range of plumbing services, you can rely on these tips to keep your Irving, TX, kitchen plumbing working optimally.
Protect Your Kitchen Drains
A clogged drain is one of the top reasons someone may need the services of a professional plumber. You can protect your kitchen drain by using a simple drain screen device that prevents any food scraps of debris from washing into the drain. Food debris is a top cause of kitchen drain clogs. While tiny food particles may seem like no cause for concern when they flow down the drain, these particles have a habit of sticking around in the bends of drains or getting caught up in grease that’s hardening in the drain pipe.
As the food debris piles up in the drain, it can develop into a big clog that will require the skills of a professional. Tioga Contractors tackles stubborn kitchen clogs all the time, but many of these clogs can easily be prevented simply by preventing food and grease from flowing down the drain. But clogs aren’t the only cause of concern. Large clogs can actually damage your pipes. The clogs can put pressure on pipes. In areas where pipes connect at the seams or valves, leaks can easily develop because of a clog. To protect your Irving, TX, plumbing system, you’ll want to avoid clog development as much as possible.
Clean Your Drains
Drain cleaning can help you maintain your kitchen drains. Even when being careful, grease, fats, oil, and food particles can still find their way into your drain. However, with drain cleaning services, you can ensure those materials are washed away before they can develop into a clog. A plumber from our team can clean your drains using an auger or hydro jetting. Some people rely on commercial drain cleaners to keep their drains cleaned. Unfortunately, these products can harm your pipes. It’s much safer to call Tioga Contractors to let us clean your drains safely and professionally.
Check for Leaks
Leaks are another common problem that can occur in kitchens as elsewhere in your plumbing system. In many cases, a leak will be obvious. You may find that a puddle has formed underneath your kitchen sink. On the other hand, some leaks are hidden, which makes locating them difficult. That’s why it’s important to inspect your kitchen plumbing from time to time. For instance, if you notice the development of mold on a wall near your sink or dishwasher, there’s definitely a moisture problem, and it could be a plumbing leak. If you find or even suspect a kitchen leak, you can call us and we’ll send an experienced plumber to your home. We can find the leak and make the necessary repairs.
However, it’s important to check for leaks because the wasted water can cause your water bill to substantially increase. The leaking water can also cause damage to your flooring or walls. If the water leads to an outbreak of mold, you’ll have the additional headache of remediating the mold problem.
Clean Your Faucet
Most people are used to cleaning their kitchen faucet and sink as a matter of routine. But consider removing the aerator from your faucet periodically. The aerator can get clogged by sediment and minerals from hard water. Keeping your aerator clean may help you protect the longevity of your faucet. Faucets don’t last forever, so it’s helpful to safeguard yours so you don’t have to call a plumber to replace them any sooner than necessary.
Avoid Using Commercial Drain Cleaners
As mentioned commercial drain cleaners can cause damage to pipes, but how? And why are they sold as safe for use? Sometimes drain cleaners do what they’re supposed to do–they clear clogs. To do this, they rely on their active ingredients, powerful chemicals, to react in the drain. The chemicals often produce heat and literally eat away at the clog to open the pipe back up. However, these chemicals simply aren’t good for your pipes. Using them repeatedly is asking for trouble. The corrosive properties of the chemicals can also cause your pipes to become more brittle.
There’s also this common problem: commercial drain cleaners don’t always work. Frequently, the drain cleaners can’t power through stubborn clogs. However, once they’re dumped down the drain, they’ll remain there until the clog is removed and the pipe can be flushed. These powerful clogs definitely demand the skills of a plumber. A plumber won’t use a drain cleaner, however. They have the equipment needed to safely clear away the clog. In the meantime, those chemicals sitting in your drain pipe aren’t doing your plumbing system any favors. To be safe, contact a plumber in the first place and avoid using a drain cleaner.
By maintaining your kitchen plumbing system, you can reduce the incidence of clogs and even leaks in many cases. If your plumbing system does develop any problems, you can call Tioga Contractors so a plumber from our team can visit your Irving, TX, home. Our plumbing pros are certified and highly trained. We can quickly diagnose your plumbing problems and make the necessary repairs. Contact us to learn more about our services.
Photo By carroti at Shutterstock