If you have ever experienced a clogged drain, you will appreciate the importance of maintaining your drains to avoid a backup. A drain backup means more than just the need to call a plumber. The resulting flooding will mean damage to flooring, drywall, furniture, and more. These repairs can be costly, even if your insurance covers a portion. If you are lucky enough to avoid a full backup of the drains, buildup in drains may still cause odors or even release dangerous bacteria and pathogens into your building.
As a building manager or owner, you likely have little control over what the users of the building put down the drains. Particularly in high-traffic buildings, this can pose some real problems. Grease and other materials inappropriate for drains can quickly cause sludge to build up, causing a clog and major issues for your building.
Preventative Measures
Prevention is always preferable to reaction when it comes to potential damage to your property. You can take some steps to extend the life of your drains between cleanings. These steps will require the cooperation of your building’s occupants as well as any cleaning service you employ. Remember that it is also in their best interests to help prevent drain backups, since a drain backup is bad for them as well.
The easiest prevention is to simply make sure that there is a screen over every drain to prevent hair, trash, or other large objects from going down the drain and causing a blockage. Screens that are not easily removed by residents are ideal, so that you will know that the drains remain protected at all times. In some cases, a grease trap or catch basin may also be appropriate.
Next, ask your cleaners and residents to use cleaning supplies free from harsh, drain-damaging chemicals. If you do encounter a blockage in the drains, contact your plumber rather than utilizing popular chemical drain cleaners. Many chemicals can cause damage to your pipes, increasing the risk that you will need to replace your pipes sooner rather than later, even if they do clear the current clog.
Perhaps more difficult, but essential to keep your drains clean, is to ensure that all building users utilize the drains properly. This includes avoiding pouring grease down the drain, using garbage disposals correctly, and cleaning grease traps or catch basins regularly. Regular inspections of your drains can help to ensure compliance and catch potential issues before they turn into drain backups.
Schedule Regular Cleanings
Even if you take all recommended preventative steps to protect your drains, you should still schedule regular cleanings. Time and use, along with the occasional slip-up by a resident using a harsh chemical cleaner or pouring grease down the drain, can result in the need for a cleaning. Cleanings and inspections will prevent odors and help to give you peace of mind and prevent expensive damage to your building. Contact us today and ask us about scheduling regular drain cleanings in order to guarantee the cleanliness of your drains.
