Are you feeling frustrated struggling with a frequently clogged shower drain that continues to happen despite your best efforts, especially at the most inconvenient times? If you find yourself in the cleaning aisle in hot pursuit of an over-the-counter drain cleaner, you might want to pause for a moment. These household drain cleaning products are inconvenient and messy and can damage pipes when used frequently. Instead of wasting time and money with expensive over-the-counter drain cleaners that rarely work and can cause significant damage, contact The Original $49.95 Plumber for all your professional plumbing needs.
Why Do Shower Drains Clog?
1. Hard Water: Hard water contains mineral deposits, including calcium and magnesium, both of which can damage your shower drain and pipes. As the solid particles build up and stick to the drain wall, it will make it harder for the water to pass through efficiently. Adding a water softer will convert hard water into soft water, which will benefit your plumbing and is also better for your hair and clothing.
2. Bar Soap: Have you ever noticed the soap scum build up on your shower walls or bathtub? This same scum can also accumulate on the inside of your plumbing. As other particles and debris wash down the drain, they can stick to a buildup of scum and clog up, creating a partial blockage. Switching from bar soap to liquid soap will save you valuable time and money, especially considering how many remnants of bar soap are thrown away when they are too small to use.
3. Body Scrubs: Along with soap, body scrubs are equally, if not more, damaging to your shower drain. Several popular brands of body scrub used to exfoliate your skin also contain ingredients that can clog drains, for example, particles of nutshells. These granules often get caught in rough areas of your drain pipes or tend to sit in your shower drain trap. Exchange body scrub for liquid soap and an exfoliating mitt, or use sugar or salt body scrubs that readily dissolve in water.
4. Sand: If you love vacationing at the beach, there is an excellent chance that a lot of sand will come home with you trapped in bathing suits and even your hair. Unfortunately, when you and your family shower to rinse off, all the excess sand flows down the drain, contributing to a clogged drain, especially if you live in a home with older galvanized or steel pipes. The inside surface of the pipes can corrode over time, creating a rough surface inside the pipe. Keep sand out of your shower drain by asking family members to rinse their hair and body outdoors with a hose before entering the house and, ultimately, the shower.
5. Neglecting the Use of a Hair Catcher: As you shower and rinse your hair, some hair will shed and flow down the drain. The average human can shed up to 100 hairs in a single day, do the math, and you will quickly understand how an accumulation of hair can clog the drain in a short period. A shower drain is a simple, inexpensive, and effective tool to catch and prevent drain clogs. It’s important to remember that trimming beards in the shower may be able to flow through a hair catcher and stick to any soap scum residue that may be on the inside of your pipes. Choose a hair catcher with a fine mesh to stop stray beard hairs from clogging your shower drain.
Drain Pipe Cleaning, Unclogging & More in Staten Island, Maspeth, Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Yonkers, Queens, NYC Boroughs, New York City NY
If you are struggling with a clogged drain and need assistance, and to schedule an appointment for your Manhattan, Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens & Staten Island, New York home, contact the experts at The Original $49.95 Plumber today.
