Your 317 Home Your 317 Home Magazine Spring 2018 | Page 7

« The list of “troublemakers,” in fact, is surprisingly
long and includes these common products: poultry,
skins, coffee grounds, citrus and melon rinds,
eggshells, corn cobs, and animal fats and bones. »
kitchen clogs is to throw away food scraps and to scrape
plates into the garbage—not the sink. Your dishwasher
is another place where food particles can block drainage
systems, causing build-up and clogs, so make sure your
dishes are always emptied into the garbage and rinsed prior
to loading. We recommend preventatively treating pipes
with Bio-Clean, which is an effective and gentle way to keep
your drains in good working order and avoid problems. your clog, causing erosion damage to both metal and plastic
piping. It may seem like an alluringly simply fix, but nine
times out of ten, these products will cause more harm than
good. You’re better off using a simple plunger to try to
manually clear the clog. When you plunge, check to see if
there are two drainage outlets in the clogged area—such
as with a double kitchen sink or overflow hole—and be
sure to plug one of them before beginning to plunge.
BATHROOM DRAINS PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE
The joy of bathroom drain clogs! These clogs present a slew
of challenges because people—even family members—may
do what they want in the privacy of their own bathroom. In
showers and bathtubs, beware of hair build-up by throwing
away loose hairs rather than rinsing them down the drain.
In toilets, the only things that should be flushed are human
waste and toilet paper. While some products—such as
disposable baby wipes—are branded as “flushable,” they do
not break down in the same way as toilet paper and should be
thrown away rather than flushed, according to our experts. Of course, the number one way to avoid drain clogs is to
be absolutely meticulous about what you throw—and don’t
throw—down your drain. With minimal amounts of grease,
food, hair, and paper products finding their way into your
plumbing system, you are bound to have fewer clogs.
Bio-Clean, which is distributed by Mister Quik, is the
one product we can wholeheartedly recommend for do-
it-yourself maintenance. According to the company’s
website, Bio-Clean is actually a blend of natural bacteria
and enzymes that transforms waste particles into
water, carbon dioxide, and mineral ash that can then
harmlessly run through your plumbing system. The
Bio-Clean bacteria literally eat their way through waste
build-up to keep your pipes clear and avoid clogs.
Some clogs are caused when metal pipes become pitted over
time just due to their constant cycles of drying and wetting.
The use of commercial drain-clearing products, ironically,
can accelerate this process, producing even more clogs.
Once your pipes become pitted, foreign substances such as
disposable wipes can easily get caught, creating blockages
that typically require the services of a professional plumber.
Mister Quik can also provide a camera inspection on the main
lines for $99 to see what is going on inside the piping and
identify trouble spots that can be treated early, before they
become major problems. Not all plumbers offer this helpful
service, so be sure to check with them before booking.
HARD WATER
Indianapolis is one of many states that have to contend
with “hard water,” which simply means that the water
naturally contains an excessive amount of minerals, such
as magnesium and calcium. While completely harmless
to humans, hard water can wreak havoc on drainage
systems by causing limescale deposits that can be difficult
to remove and eventually result in blockages. If you are
determined to eliminate these unsightly white build-
ups, there are products on the market that can neutralize
the minerals in your water and make it “softer.”
WHEN TO CALL A PLUMBER
Chances are you will know when it’s time to call an
experienced plumber, but there are several warning signs
that can help you catch the problem sooner rather than later.
Watch for drains that are making gurgling sounds, pooling
water, or draining particularly slowly. Sometimes a blockage
in one area, say the bathroom sink, can cause bubbling or
gurgling in another appliance somewhere in the house, such as
your washing machine. When in doubt, contact a professional
plumber who can take an experienced eye toward the problem
and offer solutions before the problem gets any worse.
DO-IT-YOURSELF METHODS
The first thing most professional plumbers will tell you
is not to pour a chemical drain cleaner, like Drano or
Liquid Plumbr, down your drain. By the time your clog is
discovered, it is usually too big to be treated by chemicals
and they will only end up sitting in your pipes along with
MRQUIKHOMESERVICES.COM
7