3 Things to Know About Your Home’s Drains

While the drains in the sinks, showers, and toilets in your home may seem like the perfect place to dispose of certain items, it’s important to understand the damage that can result from putting the wrong things down these drains. You can’t always rely on an item’s packaging to know how to properly dispose of it. Here are 3 things to know about your drains:

1. Don’t put a large amount of anything down your kitchen sink, even if you have a disposal system installed. “Oatmeal, eggshells, and coffee grounds are several of the worst things you can put down your kitchen sink, even with a disposal,” explained Mike Krejci, professional plumber with Jay’s Plumbing in Downers Grove. “You can put pasta and other foods down the drain, but in small portions. You should compost your food waste whenever possible to help keep your drains functional.” Krejci recommends putting lemon or lime rinds, along with the pulp, down the drain and running the disposal with ice to sharpen the blades and help sanitize the drain system.

2. Be very careful about what you flush down your toilets. “You should never flush items that don’t break down, such as dental floss and so-called flushable wipes,” added Krejci. “Feminine products and other personal hygiene items should be thrown in the trash, not flushed. It creates extra work for the Sanitation Department, which has to screen for these items. They end up in the trash in the long run anyway.”

3. Never put harsh chemicals down any drains in your home. “Drano and other drain openers are terrible for plumbing systems,” said Krejci. “Unfortunately, the Sanitation Department can’t separate these from the water and the chemicals end up in rivers and streams. A live enzyme product should be used to naturally break down clogs in your plumbing, or call your plumber.”

For more information, please contact:

Jay’s Plumbing

1509 Ogden Avenue

Downers Grove, IL 60515

Phone: 630-434-9200

office@jaysplumbing.net

www.jaysplumbing.net