Contact the MLP Team to book your Gutter Clean!

The post The Vital Role of Professional Gutter Cleaning appeared first on Mark Leonard Plumbing.

Take a look at the advice below to get a better understanding of how to prevent having to deal with a blocked kitchen sink. These are all very useful methods that you will be able to implement with ease. It won’t cost you a lot of money and it can save you from having to put up with a truly headache-inducing situation. Examine all of the information thoroughly and you will have a much easier time preventing your sink from becoming blocked up.

Use a Sink Drain Filter

Simply installing a sink drain filter can make a big difference for you. If you have one of these filters installed, then it can keep a lot of debris from falling down into the drain. It will keep large items from getting into the drain so that you will not experience any type of severe clogging. Food waste buildup will be significantly reduced when you make good use of this type of filter.

One of the most common reasons for a blocked sink is due to food waste buildup. When you are doing the dishes, a lot of food debris is going to go down the drain if you do not have a filter installed. These sink drain filters are cost-effective and they work brilliantly to keep you safe from blockages. It is definitely going to be worth the small investment that you will have to make to get one of these installed.

Avoid Using a Garbage Disposal If Possible

It is true that using a garbage disposal can be convenient for some people. If you have been using one for a long time, then you might simply be in the habit of using it to dispose of food debris. The truth is that this can actually contribute to your blocked sink problems. Even if the garbage disposal does grind down the food debris, it is still contributing to blocking the sink drain over time.

You want to prevent food debris from becoming lodged in the drain of the sink. The best way to do this is to keep the food from going down the drain at all. Find other ways to dispose of your food waste instead of using a garbage disposal. One great idea is to make a compost station outside. You can throw old food in the compost pile and it will be turned into rich soil that will be great for your garden.

Whatever you decide to do, just know that it is imperative to avoid putting certain things down the sink. Avoid putting coffee grounds and fat down the sink. This can clog up your sink very quickly and will turn into a big issue. You need to dispose of these items in some other way that won’t cause you problems.

Don’t Pour Grease or Oil Down the Sink

Pouring grease and oil down the sink will cause you a multitude of problems so it is crucial that you avoid doing this. When you pour grease down your sink, it is going to congeal in the drain itself. This is going to cause clogs and your sink is going to start backing up. These types of blockages can be very serious and will be more annoying to deal with than you may have imagined.

If you cook regularly, then you know that cooking grease is something that you will have to dispose of regularly. You should do your best to collect this cooking grease in some type of a container. An old coffee can will work nicely if have one that you can use. Throw it out with the rest of your garbage when you get the chance and just be sure to avoid letting any cooking grease or oil go down the sink.

Call Your Plumber for Blocked Kitchen Sink Help

If you do have problems with a blocked sink, then you are going to want to call out the professionals for help. They have the right equipment to fix your issues and will be able to get your sink working again. This is something that can take some time when a blockage is severe. The preventative advice that is mentioned above should work well so do your best to implement it so that you can avoid issues.

You will always be able to count on Mark Leonard Plumbing when you are in need. If you need assistance in order to get a sink drain filter installed, then you can speak to us about that too. Just do your best to keep your sink in good working order by avoiding letting the food waste build up. You will have a much better experience and you won’t need to call us out as often for kitchen sink blockages.

The post How to Prevent a Blocked Kitchen Sink appeared first on Mark Leonard Plumbing.

As with most of your home’s systems, the sewer lines are out of sight, which means that you don’t often think about how they are doing or what is going on inside of them. What you can do, however, is recognise the symptoms of a blocked sewer pipe and respond to the situation as quickly as possible. The quicker you address a drainage issue, the easier it will be to resolve, but when you are dealing with sewer line problems, you will often need to call a plumber.

What Causes a Block?

Believe it or not, one of the leading causes of sewer line blockage is tree roots. Tree roots can creep in through loose joints and tiny cracks, and while they may not be big enough to block the drain themselves, solid materials will get stuck on the root rather than flow through the drain. The build-up of solid materials is what often creates the block.

Another cause for a block would be a broken or collapsed pipe, and in this scenario, you might notice flooding outside in addition to the indoor clog. Tree roots may also grow around your sewer lines and crush them.

Flushing the wrong things down the toilet and pouring the wrong things into your sink can also result in a blocked sewer pipe. Grease and fat can harden in your sewer lines, building up and collecting other material over time, but flushing things such as napkins, baby wipes, or facial tissues is bound to create a block as well.

Recognising a Block in Your Sewer Lines

A blocked sewer line can create problems and noises all around the house, so it’s important to take note of anything unusual. All of the following are some of the early signs of a sewer line block, and addressing the issue at this point will help you avoid more expensive repairs.

• Consistently slow drains are a sign of a sewer line block, especially when the drains continue to be slow after DIY attempts to clear them.
• If multiple plumbing fixtures are clogged at the same time, you most likely have a block in your main sewer line. In this case, the issue would begin at the toilet, but if the toilet flushes correctly while other fixtures are clogged, the block is probably somewhere else.
• When your sewer line is clogged, water will back up into the shower drains or floor drains, especially after flushing the toilet.
• If your toilet bubbles or gurgles when you run your sink or your shower, you may have a clogged sewer line.
• Lastly, watch what happens when your washing machine drains. If you had a clog, your toilet could overflow, or water could back up into the shower once your washing machine drains.

DIY Solutions for Blocks

Your DIY options for clearing a blocked sewer pipe are pretty limited. Your first instinct may be to pour chemicals down your drain, and while this could work, it isn’t something that you want to keep trying. Depending on the nature of the block, continuing to pour things down your drains could worsen the problem.

If you suspect that the issue is a tree root, you might be able to get your hands on some copper sulphate or a root-killing foam, both of which should kill the root after a while.

Another thing that you can do is release some pressure in your system. Your sewage system should have what is called a “cleanout line,” which is a pipe with a cap that plumbers use to access your sewer line. Sometimes, removing the cap releases the pressure in your system and allows your system to drain once again.

Why and When to Call a Plumber

If simple DIY remedies don’t do the trick, you will need to call a plumber before the situation escalates. Plumbers have far better tools and equipment to efficiently clear some of the toughest blocks, and they also have the technology to precisely locate the blockage, as well.

Keep in mind that all of the symptoms listed above are reason enough to call a plumber, and calling your plumbers early will reduce the amount of work that you need to put into the issue.

Plumbers use CCTV technology to inspect your sewer lines with a small camera. The camera manoeuvres through the pipes and allows your plumbers to see what’s going on inside. This allows them to locate the block with precision, and knowing where the block is reduces the amount of guesswork involved. They can target that specific location and remove the block as quickly as possible.

To clear out a blocked sewer pipe, Mark Leonard Plumbing might use a power-assisted auger or a water-jetting tool to force whatever is blocking your sewer lines down the drain. The auger is a metal cable that can tear apart roots and rip apart debris, thereby allowing the material to flow down the drain. Depending on what is most appropriate, our plumbers might also use their water-jetting tool, which sends high-pressured water into your drain to clear away any build-up of debris.

The post How to Know That Your Sewer Line Is Blocked appeared first on Mark Leonard Plumbing.

Take the time to learn a little bit about these common reasons why your drains become blocked. It will allow you to take action to start protecting your drains. You can avoid many of the common pitfalls that are associated with blocked drains and your life will be that much easier because of it. Taking the right precautions can truly give you a better experience in your home so it makes sense to arm yourself with knowledge.

Hair Clogs Can Be a Big Problem

Hair clogs can be a really big problem if you do not know how to take care of things properly. One of the most common reasons for blocked drains is that hair has become lodged in the drains. It is perfectly normal for this to happen and most people do not really know how to go about preventing it. If you take a few extra steps, then you can really make things a lot easier to handle and can prevent hair from clogging your drains.

One method that you can make use of is to install a better bathtub stopper in your tub. This can help to keep hair from going down into the drain itself. You can get professionals to install this for you if you would like to go that route. It is also possible to install a mesh screen in order to keep the hair out of the drain. Either way, you will be able to prevent hair clogs and keep your drains working much better.

Oil and Grease Cause Problems

Another common problem that people encounter is caused by oil and grease. If you pour oil and grease down the drain after cooking, then you will eventually wind up severely clogging your drains. You need to avoid pouring oil and grease down the drains so that you can keep this from happening. It may seem to be a nuisance at first but you should always collect oil and grease in order to dispose of them in the proper fashion.

The warm grease that you pour down the drains will eventually cool down and it will congeal. This is going to form clogs that can be very hard to break up. Collecting grease and oil from cooking and placing it into a container is going to be ideal. You can prevent blocked drains and save yourself from a headache-inducing situation.

Washing Machine Drains Can Back up Too

You should know that washing machine drains can back up too. If you are not properly prepared, then you may wind up dealing with big drain blockage problems with your washing machine. Luckily, this can be prevented by taking a simple precaution. You should install a lint catcher on your washing machine hose to prevent problems from popping up.

This keeps the lint from your clothes from getting trapped in the drain. This lint will wind up collecting over time and it can turn into a bad blockage that may even create a mess. Taking the time to install the lint catcher is going to be worth your while. You can avoid any big issues and your washing machine drain will continue to function optimally.

Consider Composting Instead of Using a Garbage Disposal

Using a garbage disposal can be very convenient but it may not always work out for the best. Even if you like the idea of using a garbage disposal, it is possible that this could wind up blocking your drains eventually. The food will wind up collecting in the drain and it can become stuck over time. This can create a problem and clearing the blockage is not always going to be easy.

Making a simple compost pile can actually have many benefits. This is an environmentally friendly way to take care of your food waste. If you like to grow plants or vegetables of any kind, then this can be used as top-notch fertiliser. It will not take a lot of effort to do this so it is actually a fairly convenient way to help prevent blocked drains.

Be Careful About What You Flush Down the Toilet

Sometimes people have a tendency to throw things down the toilet that they should not. You should do your best not to flush things down the toilet that could wind up causing you problems. It might seem to be a convenient thing to do at the time but it will not be so good when it winds up blocking your drains. Dispose of your rubbish elsewhere in order to prevent these problems from occurring.

The post How to Prevent Blocked Drains appeared first on Mark Leonard Plumbing.