By Wally Warrantech

No plumbing problem is more common - or more frustrating! - than a clogged drain.  In the kitchen, sinks clog most often because of a grease buildup that traps food particles.  In the bathroom, hair and soap are most often at fault.

But regardless of what room they're in, drains can usually be cleared easily and inexpensively by taking some simple precautions.  Here are a few examples that can save you time and money:

 

Never pour grease or coffee grounds down the kitchen sink.

Be sparing with chemical cleaners, particularly if you have brass, steel, or cast-iron traps and drainpipes; some caustic chemicals can corrode metal pipes.  If used no more than once every few months, cleaners containing sodium hydroxide or sodium nitrate can be safe and effective.

Clean floor drain strainers.  Some tubs, showers, and basement floor drains have strainers that are screwed into the drain opening.  You can easily remove these strainers and reach down into the drain with a bent wire to clear accumulated debris.  And be sure to scrub the strainer.

Also clean pop-up stoppers in the bathroom sink and tub regularly.  Lift out sink pop-ups once a week and rinse them off.

Every few months, remove the overflow plate on a tub and pull up the pop-up assembly to reach the spring or rocker arm.  Remove accumulated hair and rinse thoroughly.

Flush the drain-waste and vent systems whenever you go up onto your house roof to clean out downspouts or gutters.  Run water from a garden hose into all vents, giving them a minute or two of full flow.

If for some reason, you still have water heater problems, just call Warrantech.  When you have a home warranty with Warrantech, just dial 1-800-723-1496, and one of our representatives will be happy to dispatch one of our repair professionals to your home.