Test Your Knowledge of Drains and Clogs with This Quiz.

Drain problems and clogged pipes are among the top reasons homeowners call a professional plumber. Here's a quiz to test your knowledge of proper drain care and plumbing clogs based on the problems we've seen over the years. The answers are below the quiz.

The Quiz

1. You just finished cooking a delicious batch of fried chicken. As soon as the cooking oil cools, you should:

   1. Pour the oil down the sink and immediately run hot water.

   2. Pour the oil down the sink and do nothing else.

   3. Put the oil in a leak-proof container and throw it in the trash.
      

2. Your best friend gave you packages of flushable baby wipes for your newborn. You can safely dispose of flushable wipes by:

   1. Flushing them down the toilet one at a time.

   2. Flushing a bunch of wipes down the toilet at the same time.

   3. Discarding the wipes in the trash.
      

3. The bathroom sink is draining slowly. You should:

   1. Pour boiling water down the drain.

   2. Pour a bottle of chemical drain cleaner down the drain.

   3. Cover the sink overflow with a wet rag and plunge the drain. 

The Answers

We hope you've enjoyed our quiz. C was the correct response to each question. Here's an explanation of each answer:

1. Cooking oil solidifies in drains even if you run hot water behind the oil. Pouring fats, oils, and grease (also known as FOG) down your kitchen drain eventually clogs it.
   

2. Despite their name, "flushable" wipes don't disintegrate the way toilet paper does. It's best to throw flushable wipes in the trash where they can't clog your pipes.
   

3. Pouring boiling water down the drain can damage PVC pipes. Chemical drain cleaners can harm you, your pipes, and the environment. Plunging the drain is safe and frequently effective. Contact us if plunging doesn't get your drain flowing again.

-A R Engh Team