Things That Should Never Go Down the Drain

It’s easy to forget about what goes down the drain. Most of what gets in there are liquids, and the few solids that manage to pass through are too little to do enough damage, right?

But that’s what many people get wrong. Chemicals and other products that go through the drainage end up mixing with streams where aquatic organisms live. Also, buildup of products cause blockage in sewage systems, causing big problems in the long run. To avoid a headache in the future, here are things you shouldn’t put down the drain:

• Food waste: Oil, grease, and fat do a great job of blocking pipes and screwing up sewage systems while leaving foul odors to boot. When pipes are blocked, sewers overflow and back up. If this happens, you’ll have to deal with health hazards and possible damage to home interiors. Cleanup is expensive, tedious and unpleasant.
• Paper towels: Even organic paper towels don’t melt in water, so don’t push them into the drainage. Paper towels — and also feminine napkins — are discouraged from being flushed in the toilet, so apply the same principle to the drainage if you don’t want to deal with clogging.
• Prescription medication: Yes, pills and tablets melt so they don’t cause blockage. But they cause toxic contamination which is unhealthy for aquatic organisms. It’s better to throw out unused medication as solid trash instead of mixing them with water going in the drain.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in Delaware, Pennsylvania, Maryland and New Jersey about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC & plumbing systems). Preventive plumbing maintenance is always a good idea, but in case of drainage and sewage problems, Sobieski Services will be happy to help. Just give us a call at 800-665-0002 or schedule a visit online for all your plumbing, heating, and air conditioning needs.

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