A furry friend can brighten your life and be a faithful companion. However, as a pet owner, you may have to take some extra precautions with your plumbing. The three tips below will help you keep your pet and your plumbing system healthy. Follow them and you won’t have to worry about drains clogged with hair or other debris.

How to Avoid Backed-Up Drains as a Pet Owner

1. Add a Drain Trap

Hair might seem so thin that it wouldn’t be a problem for your drains. However, as it washes down the pipes, it can gather soap scum and other debris, snarling up and clinging to the pipe walls. If enough hair does this, you can face a slow draining or jammed bathtub or sink. Keep human and pet hair alike out of your pipes by adding a drain trap.

2. Never Flush Cat Litter

Like many products that claim to be “flushable,” cat litter should never be put down the toilet, even if the packaging implies it’s okay to do so. Most cat litter will absorb liquid, and if it goes down your pipes, it can congeal into a difficult blockage. Instead, bag excess cat litter and put in the trash—your plumbing system will thank you.

3. Brush Your Pet

You should be in the habit of bathing your pet to keep them clean, but if you do so without brushing, you’ll be putting excess hair into your pipes. Commit to brushing your dog’s fur every couple of days—this is particularly important if your pet is a breed that sheds a lot. Combining this with a drain trap keeps as much hair as possible from slipping down the drain and sticking to other debris.

If your drains are clogged, your pipes are leaking, or your water’s hard, the team at Niebuhr Plumbing & Heating can help. For more than a century, they’ve helped homeowners in La Crosse, WI, with their HVAC and plumbing systems. To schedule maintenance or repairs, call (608) 782-1700, and visit their website to learn more about their services.