If you think calling a professional to clean your drains is something you should do when you have a bothersome or recurring clog, well, you’re half right. When you have a problem like that, it’s definitely time for professional help. But drain cleaning is also something you should have done routinely, as part of your home’s general maintenance.
We’d like to help you understand both why drain cleaning is so important and why it’s critical to have it done by a trained professional.
Don’t Use Bottled Drain Cleaner
For your health and safety, and for the health of your pipes, please do not pour a bottle of drain cleaner into your plumbing. These concoctions are extremely corrosive. Touching the liquid can damage and burn your skin, and they have toxic fumes which can hurt your eyes and cause respiratory problems. They can also damage the interiors of your pipes. Corrosion inside pipes leaves a rough surface which makes it even easier for substances like grease, soap scum, and mineral deposits from hard water to build up, clogging your drain even faster than before.
Safe Home Remedies for Clogs
If you have a clogged drain in Spring Branch, TX, try using a small sink plunger or a hand-cranked drain snake. These can loosen up a blockage, turning a major problem into a less-pressing one. However, any clogs are a sign that you should have a complete drain cleaning done because, while a plunger or snake can provide short-term relief, they only address a problem in a small area of your plumbing. If things have gotten bad enough to cause a complete clog in one spot, there is also buildup happening elsewhere.
Professional Drain Cleaning Equipment
When professional plumbers come to clean your drains, they bring with them some tools that homeowners don’t have access to, and this can make a seemingly-impossible job very straightforward.
- Motorized Drain Snakes: Unlike the hand-cranked version, these are large and powerful, and the rotation is provided by a motor rather than your arm. They can accomplish a lot more than a home drain snake, but they still only reach as far into your plumbing as the length of the snake, and sometimes they can’t get around sharp corners or through complex connections.
- Hydro Jetting Machines: These are narrow hoses connected to machines that pressurize water. They can be put all the way through your plumbing system, spraying high-pressure water to thoroughly clean all buildup throughout your pipes. They are extended all the way, starting to clean where your plumbing meets your sewer line, and slowly retracted, so that by the time they are pulled out, everything they’ve passed has been scrubbed clean.
- Video Cameras: If you have concerns about damaged, cracked, or leaking pipes anywhere in your home, cameras can be inserted so your plumber can inspect your pipes in detail.
Regular Drain Maintenance
If you have hydro jetting done annually, you can prevent buildup from turning into clogs. Once the drains are clean, your plumber can check for minor problems with cameras, so they can be fixed before major leaks and water damage occur.
Contact D’Spain Sales & Service with any questions or to schedule drain cleaning.
