Tips to Keep Your Drains Flowing Freely This Winter

Plumbing problems can arise anytime. In fact, it seems like all homeowners have to deal with them sooner or later. However, they always seem a little worse during the winter. Not only do you have to deal with issues such as clogged drains and backed-up toilets, but you might also have to prevent your pipes from freezing. Fortunately, there are several steps you can take to keep your drains flowing freely throughout the winter.

1. Be Careful About What Goes Down Your Drains

Cooking grease, hair, and starchy foods such as pasta and rice can clog a drain very quickly, so try not to let them go down your drains. Pour cooking grease into a glass jar or a tin can and install hair catchers in your bathroom sinks. Starchy foods, eggshells, and fibrous vegetables should be thrown into the trash.

2. Avoid Chemical Drain Cleaners

While chemical drain cleaners seem to be effective when it comes to unclogging drains, they can do serious damage to your plumbing if they’re overused. Instead of relying on harsh chemicals, flush your drains with boiling water once a week to keep them clear. If you do have a clog, use a plastic plumbing snake or plunger to remove it. If that doesn’t work, a mixture of baking soda and white vinegar makes an effective and safe drain cleaner.

3. Keep Your Pipes From Freezing

Frozen pipes can create a huge headache for any homeowner. They will make your faucets all but useless, slow or even stop your drains, and cause pipes to leak or burst. Thankfully, there are lots of things that you can do to stop your pipes from freezing during the winter.

First, insulate any pipes in your basement or garage that are exposed. These pipes are the most affected by cold weather, so they are the likeliest to freeze. Wrap them in pipe insulation from any hardware store. If you can’t make it to the store for any reason, some old blankets or towels can do in a pinch.

Second, run your faucets at a trickle if temperatures are going to fall below freezing. If there is continually some water flowing through your pipes, it makes them less likely to freeze.

Finally, open the cabinets underneath your bathroom and kitchen sinks. This will expose the plumbing to the air moving through your home, which should be warm enough to prevent any freezing.

If you need a professional drain cleaning service, contact Blaze Air, serving homes in Wilmington, Greensboro, Zebulon, and the surrounding areas in North Carolina, today.