Here's a few ideas to keep drains from clogging:

• Limit the amount of grease going down the drain. If you have to pour any grease down the drain, be sure to run cold water before, during and after you pour it. 
• Don't flush disposable wipes, sanitary products or wet naps down the toilet. 
• Use septic-safe toilet paper. They are available at grocery stores. Most popular brands offer a septic-safe alternative to their popular consumer brands. 
• Always use cold running water when putting anything down the garbage disposal. 
• Provide regular maintenance for your drains by using biological drain cleaners once a month. This will save you a lot in the long haul over plumber calls for clogged drains.

If you're someone who just can't tolerate any kind of back-up, or your drains are chronically slow, there are more definitive actions you can take. Many plumbing contractors offer plumbing check ups and most will do it for free. Make sure to ask a plumber about this when you call.

A typical plumbing check up involves an inspection of:

• Plumbing fixtures 
• Visible plumbing in the basement 
• All plumbing valves and their functionality

Many plumbers also offer free video inspections. Again, ask your plumber if it's free before setting up an appointment. A video inspection involves dropping a tiny video camera down your pipes to see how clean they are. The camera can show you how much scale has built up in your pipes and if any action needs to taken.

If you find your pipes are thick with muck, you might want to consider a high-pressure wash, which can literally make your old drain pipes like new. Companies use different names for this process, but it uses high pressure and high volumes of water to blast the scale, soap, grease and sludge out of your pipes. It costs about $500, and is usually recommended every five to 10 years after that for regular maintenance.

I don't know about you, but I didn't realize that plumbers offered free plumbing check-ups and video inspections, so it really does pay to ask around.

Nancy Wilkes represents the Professional Plumbers & Contractors (PPC), an organization representing union plumbers and contractors in Milwaukee, Wis. Her articles and videos help homeowners with tips to handle easy plumbing problems and solutions, including "green" plumbing, to keep plumbing systems properly maintained and even improved. You can find more articles and videos at http://www.ppcplumbers.com/blog