Kitchen Plumbing Dos & Don’ts

Hands up: Who loves kitchen plumbing problems? We’re talking about blocked sinks, jammed up garbage disposals, leaky pipes, and all the problems that can disrupt a kitchen. While nobody would purposefully sabotage their plumbing, there are things that people do that cause plumbing problems.

To help you avoid these, here is our list of the top six kitchen plumbing dos and don’ts that will go a long way to keeping your kitchen plumbing in perfect working order.

Top Six Kitchen Plumbing Dos

1. DO Use A Probiotic Drain Cleaner To Avoid The Blocked Sink Blues.

   Regular use of a probiotic drain cleaner such as Bio-Clean^® will effectively keep your pipes clean while also looking after the environment. The natural bacteria and enzymes in Bio-Clean® feed on the build-up of fats, oils, and organic matter that lead to blocked pipes, keeping your pipes clean.

2. DO Use Cold Water, Run At High Pressure When Using Your Garbage Disposal.

   Using cold water at full pressure is one of our top tips for a grumble free garbage disposals. Cold water helps avoid clogging up your garbage disposal unit by keeping grease and fat solid. Using hot water will melt the grease and fat, which will flow further into the disposal plumbing system and solidify there, causing a blockage.

3. DO Put Ice Through Your Garbage Disposal.

   While the noise of ice being churned in the garbage disposal might sound like it’s breaking something, ice actually helps keep the blades sharp.

4. DO Clean The Aerators On All Faucets.

   The chemicals and minerals in our water can cause a build-up over time that can block the faucet holes and cause uneven or decreased water flow. If left untreated, the chemical sediment can affect the taste of the water as well.

5. DO Remove Sediment From Your Water Heater’s Drain.

   Open your water heater’s drain and remove the sediment every six months. Sediment that isn’t cleaned out will harden and reduce the efficiency of your water heater. It will continue to build up and can cause permanent damage.

6. DO Keep Our Number Handy For Kitchen Plumbing Crises.

   No matter how careful you’ve been to look after your kitchen plumbing, things can still go wrong. The master plumbers at Art Plumbing, Air Conditioning & Electric are ready to come help, no matter how small or large your kitchen crisis may be.

Top Six Kitchen Plumbing Don’ts

1. DON’T Pour Cooking Oil Or Fat Into Your Sink.

   Cooking oil or fat will harden and cause a growing build-up in your pipes and sewer lines. Over time this leads to clogged pipes, drains and, eventually, sewage overflow.

2. DON’T Use Caustic Drain Cleaners To Clear A Blocked Sink Drain.

   When faced with a slow-running drain or a blocked sink, it’s tempting to reach for a quick fix solution in the form of a caustic drain cleaner. While this may seem to give you the quickest results, it is only a temporary solution. A caustic drain cleaner will create a small path through the blockage as its flow is limited by gravity. It can never clear the pipe completely. Caustic drain cleaners are also dangerous to use and bad for the environment.

3. DON’T Rinse Coffee Grounds Down Your Sink Drain.

   Coffee grounds are inclined to clump together and cause drain clogs even if there is water running. A compost bin is the best place to dispose of coffee grounds as they are an excellent source of nitrogen, are close to pH neutral, and will improve soil texture. If that’s not your thing, throwing coffee grounds in the garbage works just fine too!

4. DON’T Keep Your Wastebasket Directly Under The Sink.

   While it may be convenient to have your garbage can right by or under the sink, having it there increases the risk of continually bumping the drainpipes. This can lead to pipe leaks and breakages.

5. DON’T Use Your Garbage Disposal For High-Fiber Materials.

   Celery, onion skins, corn husks, and other high-fiber materials and foods are not good candidates for garbage disposal. Their fibers can thread around the disposer, causing the motor to strain and eventually burn out.

6. DON’T Delay Calling Us For Your Kitchen Plumbing Emergency.

   Our friendly and efficient plumbers have been trained and equipped to deal with all types of kitchen plumbing emergencies. Don’t struggle on your own when you are struck with a kitchen plumbing nightmare. We are ready to come to your rescue! Call us today at 1-800-475-1504 to get your kitchen back in tip-top shape.