To protect your plumbing, you need to watch what you pour down the drain. Although pouring waste down the drain can seem like a practical way to get rid of it, doing so can have detrimental effects on the environment, your septic system, and your plumbing. Many everyday items shouldn’t be flushed down the toilet because they might clog pipes, impair drainage systems, and harm the environment.
Hence the team at AquaDrain Plumbing Services would like to give you a list of 6 things you should never pour down the drain.
1. Cooking Oil and Grease
Although it’s a frequent error that many people do, pouring frying oil and grease down the drain may seriously harm both the environment and your pipes. Grease and cooking oil are liquids when they are hot, but when they cool, they harden and can clog sewer lines and pipelines. As the oil and grease cool, they adhere to the interior of the pipes, gather over time, and solidify into a mass that can lead to backups and obstructions. These blockages may necessitate expensive repairs or perhaps the replacement of the entire sewer system.
Pouring grease and cooking oil down the drain might attract mice and insects in addition to clogging the drain. Rats, cockroaches, and other pests may be drawn to your home by the scent of frying oil and grease, which can result in more harm to your plumbing and house from these pests.
2. Coffee Grounds
Even though they are a typical kitchen waste item, coffee grounds shouldn’t be poured down the sink. Coffee grounds can build up and cause blockages if they are flushed down the drain. Coffee grounds can combine with other materials over time to form a solid mass that can clog pipes and sewer lines. These obstructions may necessitate exorbitant plumbing repairs or perhaps the replacement of the entire sewage system.
Coffee grounds not only clog drains but also harm garbage disposals. Small food scraps can be ground up in garbage disposals, but coffee grounds are a different story. Due to their small size and density, coffee grounds can quickly become stuck in the disposal’s blades. As a result, the blades may eventually become dull or break, necessitating expensive repairs or replacement of the garbage disposal.
3. Eggshells
Eggshells shouldn’t be poured down the drain since they might clog sewer lines and cause blockages in pipes. Eggshells are fragile and hard, and when they crack into small pieces, they can become stuck in pipes where they can cause obstructions that cause backups and clogs.
Eggshells not only clog drains but also harm garbage disposals. Eggshells pose a distinct challenge for garbage disposals than little food leftovers. Eggshells are brittle and can harm the disposal’s blades. As a result, the blades may eventually become dull or break, necessitating expensive repairs or replacement of the garbage disposal.
4. Flour
Although it might appear safe, flour shouldn’t be dumped down the drain since it can block sewer lines and pipes. Flour and water blend to form a paste-like substance that adheres to the interior of pipes and accumulates over time. This accumulation may result in obstructions and backups in sewer and pipe systems, necessitating pricey plumbing repairs.
Flour can clog pipes and also draw insects and rodents, which are pests. The presence of flour in your plumbing system can draw rats, cockroaches, and other pests to your house, which can lead to further damage to your plumbing and house because flour is a food source for pests.
5. Medications
Because they can contaminate water sources and endanger aquatic life, another thing that we you should never pour down the drain is medication. In rivers, lakes, and other bodies of water, drugs that are flushed down the drain have the potential to harm fish and other aquatic life. Medication in any dosage has the potential to permanently alter the ecosystems’ natural balance.
In addition to environmental issues, poor medicine disposal can be harmful to human health. Inappropriate disposal of medications increases the risk of them falling into the wrong hands and being abused. Pets and kids who unintentionally consume them could also be at risk.
6. Paint
Pouring paint down the drain is not a good idea because it can seriously harm the environment and plumbing systems. Paint contains compounds that can be bad for ecosystems, water sources, and aquatic life. Paint that is flushed down the drain has the potential to taint water supplies and harm the ecosystem over time.
Pouring paint down the drain can lead to major plumbing system issues in addition to environmental issues. Because paint is thick and sticky, it can adhere to the inside of pipes and cause obstructions and backups in plumbing systems. Over time, the deposit of paint can seriously harm the plumbing system, necessitating expensive repairs.
AquaDrain Plumbing Services – Plumbing Repair & Maintenance Services in Ottawa
To prevent potential plumbing problems and environmental impact, it’s crucial to be careful about what you pour down the drain. Many common household goods, such as cooking oils, grease, pharmaceuticals, and paint, should never be thrown down the drain. The improper disposal of these materials can result in clogs, damage to pipes and septic systems, and environmental degradation, all of which can be expensive and sometimes deadly. You can safeguard your plumbing and the environment by properly disposing of these things in the trash or through specialist recycling programs.
Please contact us right away if you’re having plumbing problems because anything was poured down the drain. AquaDrain Plumbing Services provides a team of skilled plumbers with the expertise and tools necessary to correctly identify and fix plumbing issues brought on by typical home objects like cooking oils, grease, etc. To prevent future plumbing problems and safeguard the environment, we also offer advice on correct disposal techniques. To learn more about how we can maintain your plumbing functioning properly, call us now to schedule a consultation.
