Many of us are programmed in such a way that if we see something disappear, we believe it is gone for good. This type of thinking is especially harmful when it comes to our plumbing. Not everything is designed to go down the drain; pouring the wrong materials into kitchen sinks and other sinks in your house will eventualy mean that you have big problems with your pipes that will cost a lot of money and time in order to fix. There are a lot of materials that if poured down the drain will accumulate, clogging the pipes, and some that will even corrode the joints and cause leaks and severe damage. Here is a list of the most common things that people dump into their sinks that can cause a lot of damage.
The most common item in this case is grease. Grease is liquid and it seems like it is natural for it to go down the drain, but remember it is only liquid because it is hot. As soon as grease cools down, it will begin to form into a solid, and eventually will become very solid. It will sit in your pipe and catch other matter, and eventually it will plug up the system. In the meantime, it might also start to smell really bad. Running hot water as you pour the grease down the drain will not help. The best way to get rid of grease is to put it into a container to harden and then throw it into the trash.
Bits of food are another item that make their way into the plumbing. Food should not be put down the drain unless you have a proper garbage disposal. Invest in some food catchers to put in the drain in order to catch the bits of pasta and vegetable that slip through the colander.
Hair always seems to make its way past the plug, in kitchen sinks and in bathtubs. Hair is very difficult to get out of piping once it gets in, and even worse it will catch other items and form one big mess. Keep hair from going into the pipes by buying hair catchers for all of your bathtub and shower drains. These need to be cleaned frequently, but it is better than paying the price for new piping.
Many people pour used materials such as motor oil, pesticides, and leftover moisturizers down their sinks. All of these are highly corrosive and will cause long term damage to pipes. Dispose of them in the manner recommended on the packaging, as to ignore this advice will not only cause significant damage to your house but to the environment as well.
A stitch in time saves nine, and the simple fact is that by being aware and taking care of materials properly, you will save yourself a lot of money in terms of plumbing later on. Don't be fooled by the disappearnce of items down the drain; it never just goes away!
