{"id":1544,"date":"2022-08-15T11:00:00","date_gmt":"2022-08-15T15:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.alltechservicesinc.com\/blog\/?p=1544"},"modified":"2025-09-05T10:03:07","modified_gmt":"2025-09-05T14:03:07","slug":"how-to-prevent-drain-clogs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.alltechservicesinc.com\/blog\/drain-and-sewer-service\/how-to-prevent-drain-clogs\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Prevent Drain Clogs"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-medium\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/www.alltechservicesinc.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/How-to-Prevent-Drain-Clogs-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"Running water flowing into a stainless steel sink drain with a garbage disposal, suggesting plumbing preventative maintenance.\" class=\"wp-image-1545\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.alltechservicesinc.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/How-to-Prevent-Drain-Clogs-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.alltechservicesinc.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/How-to-Prevent-Drain-Clogs-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.alltechservicesinc.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/How-to-Prevent-Drain-Clogs.jpg 800w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p>Does your tub, shower, or sink drain too slowly? Slow drains can eventually lead to a complete clog. And if you\u2019ve ever had a sudden plumbing problem occur in your home, you know how unpleasant they can be \u2026 especially when they happen at the worst possible time, like a holiday weekend, or when you have houseguests. The best way to keep your pipes draining properly and avoid the need for emergency measures is to have your drains cleaned regularly by trustworthy <a href=\"\/plumber\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">northern Virginia plumbing<\/a> professionals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>How can you prevent drain clogs with plumbing maintenance?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Schedule professional drain cleaning to remove buildup<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Avoid pouring fats, oils, and grease down kitchen drains<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Use drain covers to catch hair in showers and sinks<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Install a water softener to reduce mineral and soap scum buildup<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<!--more-->\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">When to Call a Professional Plumber for Drain Clogs<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Many people use liquid drain cleaner, but <em>please don&#8217;t be one of those people<\/em>. These &#8220;cleaners&#8221; are toxic and acidic and cause much more harm to drains than almost anything else you can put down them. The health risks to the user are significant, and they can cause corrosion in your pipes. Used repeatedly, chemical cleaners shorten the lifespan of plumbing and lead to expensive replacements being required.&nbsp;Instead, learn about the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.alltechservicesinc.com\/blog\/drain-and-sewer-service\/slow-sneaky-causes-of-clogged-drains\/\">slow, sneaky causes of clogged drains<\/a> so you can address the root of the issue more effectively.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Proven Methods Plumbers Use to Clear Drain Clogs Safely<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Instead of using caustic chemicals, a professional will use their expertise to determine the cause and location of the problem. Then, with specialized tools, they remove blockages and buildup. One approach is <a href=\"https:\/\/www.alltechservicesinc.com\/blog\/drain-and-sewer-service\/hydro-jetting-for-drains-when-why-how\/\">hydro jetting<\/a>: water, pressurized by a hydro jetting machine, breaks apart and washes away everything that should not be filling your pipes, leaving them clean and wide-open to drain freely.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Top Tips to Prevent Drain Clogs and Backups<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Regular professional cleaning will prevent any buildup from becoming a serious clog. But you can also reduce the buildup by being aware of substances that lead to it.&nbsp;For instance, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.alltechservicesinc.com\/blog\/drain-and-sewer-service\/why-we-use-hydrojetting-for-drain-cleaning\/\">FOG and other organic materials<\/a> are some of the primary culprits behind blockages and slow drains, which is why hydro jetting is often the go-to solution for long-term pipe health.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>FOG:<\/strong> This stands for <em>Fat, Oil, and Grease<\/em>. They may be liquid while they are still warm, but when a pan is emptied into the kitchen sink, fats cool and solidify inside your plumbing. Even with a garbage disposal, FOG and other organic matter can cause buildup. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.alltechservicesinc.com\/blog\/plumbing-service\/protect-your-plumbing-from-these-common-clogs\/?utm_source=chatgpt.com\">FOG is one of the main culprits<\/a> behind clogged drains, which is why hydro jetting is often the go-to solution for long-term pipe health.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Hair:<\/strong> This might be the most obvious culprit. To reduce the amount of hair that builds up in your plumbing, use a drain cover that allows water through but catches the hair, and clean it out frequently.\u00a0For more prevention tips,<a href=\"https:\/\/www.alltechservicesinc.com\/blog\/drain-and-sewer-service\/how-to-prevent-drain-clogs\/?utm_source=chatgpt.com\"> read how to prevent drain clogs<\/a> and keep buildup at bay.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Soap scum:<\/strong> We all know what it\u2019s like to scrub this unpleasant substance off shower walls and shelves. It cakes on and sticks with a vengeance! Well, it does the same thing inside your piping. And because of the ingredients in soap, chemical reactions can damage the pipes themselves. Soap scum develops more quickly in hard water, so a water softener can help.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Hard water:<\/strong> Not only will hard water increase the soap scum problem, it causes buildup all by itself. When we describe water as \u201chard,\u201d we mean that it contains dissolved minerals. Iron, calcium, and magnesium may be important nutrients for the human body, but not for your plumbing. Where this mineral-rich water passes through, traces of the minerals are deposited as limescale. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.alltechservicesinc.com\/blog\/drain-and-sewer-service\/how-to-prevent-drain-clogs\/?utm_source=chatgpt.com\">Preventing drain clogs from hard water<\/a> may involve installing a water softener and scheduling regular drain cleaning. This is how stalactites grow in caves\u2014and you know you don\u2019t want those in your pipes! In addition to removing the existing limescale, you may want to consider installing a water-softening system in your home.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><strong>AllTech Services, Inc. is your trusted resource for quality Northern Virginia Plumbing Services. <\/strong><a href=\"\/contact\/send-message\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>Contact us<\/strong><\/a><strong> today!<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Does your tub, shower, or sink drain too slowly? Slow drains can eventually lead to a complete clog.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[72],"tags":[119,36],"class_list":["post-1544","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-drain-and-sewer-service","tag-northern-virginia","tag-plumbing"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.alltechservicesinc.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1544","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.alltechservicesinc.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.alltechservicesinc.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.alltechservicesinc.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.alltechservicesinc.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1544"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/www.alltechservicesinc.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1544\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2089,"href":"https:\/\/www.alltechservicesinc.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1544\/revisions\/2089"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.alltechservicesinc.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1544"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.alltechservicesinc.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1544"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.alltechservicesinc.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1544"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}