With Utah’s booming economy, more people have come to the state looking for jobs and housing. Living here has many benefits, with amazing outdoor activities and winter sports topping off the list. But you’ll want to take special care of your pipes and drainage, mainly if you’re living in an older home. And if you’re considering heading outdoors for a vacation, the last thing you want to come back to is a flooded home.
Here are some common causes of clogged drains and what you can do to prevent or fix them in your Utah home:
Debris buildup
No matter where your drain is located in the home, the accumulation of assorted debris causes problems. It’s a problem inherent to the design; after all, people tend to use water to wash things off, and the water carries these materials down the drain. A filter can catch the big ones, but smaller stuff slips through.
Hair is a common problem in any home because it quickly forms a matrix of fibers that trap even more debris, amplifying the problem. Certain parts of the house can have issues. For instance, drains in the yard can be blocked by plant matter, while toilets can get clogged up by an accumulation of toilet paper or other hygiene products.
Proper cleanup and disposal measures will help to reduce the amount of debris that ends up in your drains. Frequently clean your strainer and throw away waste particles, and keep the drain covered when not in use. A plunger is also a quick-fix solution you can try.
Food waste
Explicitly associated with the kitchen sink, food waste is a type of debris you don’t usually notice – after all, when you’re preparing food for cooking, it’s part of the process to wash off dirt and scraps. But like any other waste material, food scraps don’t go anywhere.
Oil and grease wastes can be especially dangerous; they often slide down our drains in liquid form, but in the cooler environment of the pipes, this fatty waste will solidify. This mass can block pipes, cause flushing to come back up somewhere else, flooding the home, or creating neighborhood problems with the formation of fatbergs.
To avoid these problems with food waste, scrape your plates and utensils before washing. Store oil, grease, and other fat scraps in a tub, and dispose of them properly.
Minerals
The state of Utah is known for its water hardness. From the higher levels found in cities like Ephraim, to the suburbs of Millcreek and other Salt Lake City areas, the state’s water mineral content is a fact of life. You’ll want to have a reliable plumbing repair service on standby, but there are also some ways to mitigate the problem.
Water treatment methods such as softeners or conditioners can be used, though the cost-effectiveness over time will vary. You can also attempt manual removal of mineral scale buildup. Remember that some parts of the pipe may be out of sight or reach.
When you’ve come to Utah from a warmer climate, these small things might not immediately come to mind as part of your housekeeping. But prevention is always better than cure, and making some adjustments to your daily cleaning routine can save you lots of money in the long term.
