Regular drain cleaning is a preventative measure that will keep your pipes flowing as they should. Clogs aren’t just inconvenient; they can lead to expensive, smelly plumbing catastrophes.
Soap scum, hair, cooking grease and even the occasional dropped earring can accumulate over time and block your drains. Fortunately, professional drain cleaners have a wide array of tools to handle any issue. Contact Advanced Drain Cleaning, Inc for professional help.
Clogged drains are more than just annoying; they can be dangerous and cause expensive damage to your pipes. The best way to avoid clogged drains is with preventative maintenance like cleaning drain traps, installing a drain cover or drain snake, and restricting toilet use to only human waste and paper products.
Hair: Hair can bind with other sticky substances like soap scum to create a stubborn blockage, particularly in bathroom drains. To avoid this, keep a drain stopper in your shower or tub and be sure to remove clumps of hair before they reach the drain.
Grease: Cooking oil and grease solidifies as it cools, reducing the capacity of your drain pipe. To reduce this risk, pour hot water down drains after every use to flush out remaining cooking oil and grease.
Soap Residue: The minerals in hard water and the oils in dishwashing liquid can build up to form a thick, sticky substance known as soap scum that reduces your drain pipe’s capacity and traps other debris. This is one of the most common causes of clogged drains in household plumbing. To prevent this, try the baking soda and vinegar trick, or use a chemical drain cleaner that is safe for your pipes.
Foreign Objects: Toys, jewelry, cotton swabs, and other objects can slip into drains and trap water as they wash away. To avoid this, be careful what you put down your drains and make sure to regularly sweep up loose items around the house.
If your clogged drain is severe or recurring, it’s important to call a plumber for professional help. Don’t use harsh chemicals that can eat away at your pipes and may even be toxic to your family or pets.
Slow Drains
A slow drain is an inconvenience at best, but at worst it can signal a bigger problem like a pipe leak. It’s important to take action right away to avoid clogs and other serious issues. Here are some at-home solutions to help you deal with this common plumbing issue.
If you can’t fix your slow drain with a plunger or a Zip-It tool, it might be time to call in a professional plumber for help. They’ll have the tools and knowledge to solve your sink problems quickly and efficiently.
Food particles, hair, soap scum, and other debris can wash down drains and create clogs. To prevent these materials from building up inside your pipes, dispose of them properly and use a strainer in your sinks to catch larger pieces. In addition, regularly flushing your kitchen and bathroom drains with hot water can help keep them clear of clogs.
Another common cause of slow drains is a foreign object stuck in the drain. It’s essential to make sure everyone in your home knows what can and cannot be washed down the drains. This can help prevent toys, clothing, and other items from getting washed down the drain and causing a clog.
If you can’t remove a blockage from your drains with a wire coat hanger or homemade drain cleaner, try using a plunger to create a vacuum seal around the drain opening. Then, push down and pull up vigorously to break up the clog and remove it from your pipes. If the clog is still lingering, you might need to use an enzyme-based drain cleaner that breaks down buildup without damaging your pipes. A professional plumber can also provide advice on how to prevent future clogs and pipe problems.
Foul Odors
Foul odors can signal serious plumbing problems. If the stench is from a kitchen drain or toilet, it may indicate an overflowing garbage disposal or clogged pipes. The odor is produced by bacteria that are feeding on organic waste, such as food scraps and leftovers. To avoid this, keep garbage disposals and pipes clean by incorporating regular drain cleaning into your household maintenance routine.
In the bathroom, foul odors are often caused by soap scum, toothpaste, spit, hair, and body oils that build up in sinks, tubs, showers, and toilets. Biofilm and other debris can also cause drains to smell.
A clogged vent can lead to foul odors, as well. These vents provide an entry point for flies, mosquitoes, and other pests into your home. To prevent these critters from infesting your space, keep your vents clear by scheduling routine cleaning with a professional.
While it’s impossible to completely eliminate foul odors, keeping your drains and pipes clean can reduce their frequency. For example, using a sink stopper to keep grease, eggshells, and stringy vegetables out of the kitchen drain helps prevent clogs and odors. You can also add drain cleaning to your household maintenance routine by pouring boiling water down each drain once a week.
If foul odors are persistent or cause other concerning symptoms, you should consult with a healthcare professional. They can recommend tests and investigations to determine the underlying issue. These may include blood tests, urine analysis, imaging studies, stool tests, or referral to a specialist.
Sewage Backups
A sewage backup can be a homeowner’s worst nightmare. It can lead to serious health issues for you and your family. It also causes extensive and expensive damage to your home. It is important to know what to look for and how to clean it up right away to prevent further damage.
Your building sewer lines transport wastewater and sewage from your house to the city sanitary sewer line. Over time, these lines can become clogged by hair, grease, soap scum, food debris, diapers and other items that don’t break down in water. Clogged pipes can also be caused by tree roots that enter the line, or by broken materials in the line like a toy or a diaper that got caught.
When a sewage backup happens, the sewage can back up into your home and cause significant water damage. It’s best to evacuate the area and use rubber boots, gloves and eye protection if you must be near it. It is also important to turn off any electrical devices near the sewage backup and to open windows to let in fresh air.
Sewage contains harmful bacteria and viruses that can cause a wide range of illness. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend avoiding contact with sewage as much as possible. If you do need to contact it, it is vital that you take the proper precautions, including a detailed cleaning plan and health-focused cleaning products. It is also a good idea to have an emergency plan in place in case of a disaster, such as knowing who to call and how to protect yourself and your property until help arrives. In addition, a plan should include information about how to deal with an insurance claim.
Corroded Sewer Lines
Your sewer line is responsible for removing waste from your household, and if it becomes damaged you can face serious problems. Sewer line breakage is caused by corrosion, sediment buildup and tree roots. Our team can provide a variety of sewer line repair and replacement solutions.
Your pipes are made of different materials, and each type has its own unique vulnerability to corrosion. Cast iron pipes, for example, are vulnerable to oxidation that causes leaks and broken lines. This is because the sulfates that find their way into drains cause hydrogen sulfide, which corrodes the cast iron. The same is true for galvanized steel and copper lines.
The best way to prevent corrosion is by being proactive and scheduling regular video pipe inspections and cleanings. We can use a special camera that goes into your clean out to look at the length of your pipe. This allows us to spot any potential issues that might be on the horizon, like clogs or a ruptured line.
Keeping up with regular drain cleanings is also important. We can use high-powered water jetting to remove any clogs that might be present without damaging the pipe walls. It’s also a good idea to avoid using chemical drain cleaners, as these can actually damage the inner lining of your pipes and make them more susceptible to corrosion.
If you have noticed any signs of a faulty sewer line, don’t wait to call our experts. We can handle a wide range of sewer line repair and replacement services, including trenchless technology that eliminates the need for digging up your property.