With February now underway, a lot of us have Valentine’s Day on our minds. The annual celebration of love between couples is generally associated with romance. However, it’s important to remember that we should all regularly show love to our homes! The last thing you want is an unexpected plumbing disaster in your household. That’s why, in honour of Valentine’s Day, we thought it wise to remind you how to show your home’s pipes the love they truly deserve.
Avoid pouring grease down your drains.
One way to ensure that you avoid clogged pipes in your kitchen is to avoid pouring grease down the drain. Do you plan on cooking your special someone a romantic dinner this Valentine’s Day? If so, be sure to dispose of all the grease, fats and oils properly. Even if you’re simply rinsing off plates that had delicious steaks or buttery side dishes on them, be mindful to wipe them down first.
Grease that goes down the drain can solidify and clog your pipes. Take your especially greasy dishes and pour the slick stuff into a container. Let it cool and harden, then throw it in the trash. By the way, you’ll also want to invest in a sink strainer to help you catch food scraps and prevent blockages.
Don’t overstuff your garbage disposal.
Do you have a garbage disposal? Many homeowners love this unique appliance as it helps them to get rid of foodstuffs quickly and easily. However, it’s pretty important to remember that not everything belongs in a garbage disposal. As Perry Santanachote of Consumer Reports informs us, foods to avoid putting into the garbage disposal include oils, corn husks, artichokes, clam or oyster shells and a large number of vegetable peels.
Eggshells, shellfish and coffee grounds are also no-no’s. “Seems harmless enough, but they don’t decompose quickly, and a large amount of them accumulate and stop up the drain, especially if you’ve got older pipes,” informs Santanachote, “The same goes for shellfish and coffee grounds, which don’t break down easily and are also quite oily – a double whammy.”
Avoid overworking your toilet.
An overflowing toilet can certainly ruin a romantic Valentine’s Day evening. Make it a common practice to flush nothing down the toilet except bodily waste and toilet paper. That’s it. Perhaps, the Durham Region website says it best: “Only the three P’s can be flushed: pee, poo and toilet paper. Even products marketed as ‘flushable’, such as flushable wipes, can cause backups. This is because these products don’t break down the same way toilet paper does, and it can cause serious clogs and costly damage due to backups and flooding.”
The site goes on to warn that masks, medications, tampons, pads and cotton swabs should also not be flushed down the toilet. As well, avoid flushing paper towels, hygiene products and any food scraps. They can all cause blockages that could lead to a plumbing emergency. Simply keep a small waste bin in the bathroom for non-flushable items.
Get some help from 2 Bro’s Plumbing!
Do you have any plumbing issues in your home? Allow our family-owned team of plumbing experts to show your pipes some love! Serving the Durham Region since 2015, we provide fast and friendly faucet repairs and installations among many other services. Please don’t hesitate to give us a call at 905-556-0790. You may also email us at admin@2brosplumbing.ca.
