What NOT to put down your kitchen or bathroom sink

As easy as it is, puting various liquids and items down your kitchen or bathroom sink will cause headaches and unnecessary cleaning bills. With over 45 years of experience, we at Norm’s plumbing and heating have seen some weird things clog up draining pipes. Worry no more, because this blog will educate you with what not to put down your drains.

Grease

This one seems like an obvious no-no, but you will be surprised how many calls we get where there is a clogged drain to due grease. In many cases, these haven’t just turned into a minor clog, but even a major one where it induces flooding. In case you don’t know, the proper procedure is to solidify the grease in a can placed in the fridge and then simply disposing of it in the regular garbage.

Food Matter

For years we have been rinsing our dishes in the sink removing the loose food bits before putting them in the dishwasher. Though this is great to save your dishwasher, it’s still hurting your drains. With the rise in social concern for garbage waste and the increase in composting, it’s best to be putting food waste in your green bin. This way your saving your drains and helping reduce unnecessary garbage.

Medicine

When you are disposing of old medicine whether it be outdated cough syrup or some old antibiotics that wound up staying in your medicine cabinet, check out the BC Medicine Return Program.It is highly recommended by plumbers and medical professionals to not dispose of them down your kitchen or bathroom drain.

Coffee Grinds

It may be the simple way, but disposing of coffee grinds down your kitchen or bathroom sink is only going to cause more trouble down the road. Just like food matter, your green bin is the perfect place for coffee grinds. You may notice when you are emptying your coffee grinds that they can clump together with a bit of water. The same thing will happen in your drains causing them to clog up.

Hair

This one is more for the bathroom. Hair is a very common drain blocker. It isn’t only hindering the flow of your drains, but it can build up unpleasant odor as well. Thankfully an ingenious individual has invented a hair drain stopper for the bathroom as well as the kitchen, you can check them out Here.

Drano

What seems like a perfect and inexpensive solution to clogged drains, Drano is actually hurting your pipes. Although Drano does clear drains, the amount of chemicals used is alarming. Also, if you use Drano to clear your drains and it fails, the liquid will sit in your pipes and it will corrode them. It corrodes plastic the easiest but will still corrode through metal piping.

Have clogged drains? Now what?

If you have clogged drains and don’t know who to call, look no further. We at Norm’s Plumbing and Heating have been serving Nanaimo and surrounding areas for over 45 years. Even though we are a small family business, we have 10 licensed and insured plumbers and gas fitters ready to serve you. We are equipped with modern drain cleaning machines and have the knowledge to fix your drains fast and effectively. If you’re ready to have us clean your drains, contact us today. We look forward to working with you.