Restaurants face the challenge of managing their drain and sewer systems on a daily basis. Without proper maintenance and cleaning, these systems can become clogged, causing backups and other issues. Fortunately, there are several tips that restaurant owners can follow to keep restaurant drains clean and functioning properly.
Restaurant Drain Cleaning
Regularly cleaning the drain lines in a restaurant is one of the best ways to ensure that the system continues to work properly. Restaurants should invest in a quality drain cleaning tools, such as a snake, to ensure that all drain lines are cleaned as needed. In addition to regular cleaning, restaurants should also inspect their lines for any signs of damage or blockages, and take immediate steps to address any issues that are found that may indicate signs of a needed sewer line repair.
Restaurant Drain Maintenance
In addition to restaurants having their drains professionally cleaned out on the regular, restaurants should also follow a regular maintenance plan for their drains and sewers. This plan should include regularly testing the system for blockages and leaks, and conducting repairs or replacements as needed. Restaurants should also be sure to use the appropriate cleaning solutions, as some can damage the pipes or cause corrosion.
Commercial Grease Trap Cleaning
Grease traps are an essential part of any restaurant’s drainage system, and they must be cleaned regularly to prevent clogs and backups. Grease traps should be checked often for accumulation of grease, and cleaned out as needed. Professional grease trap cleaning services should be used on a regular basis to ensure that the traps are functioning properly.
In addition to regular cleaning, restaurants should also inspect their grease traps for any signs of damage or blockages, and take immediate steps to address any issues that are found.
Keeping restaurant drains clean and well-maintained is essential to the smooth functioning of any restaurant. By following these tips, restaurants can ensure that their drain and sewer systems remain in good condition and are able to handle the demands of daily use.
Clogged drains are a common problem in modern plumbing systems. Mostly due to aging pipes or a general lack of plumbing maintenance, every year, thousands of American households find themselves dealing with plumbing issues caused by obstructions inside their drain lines. Clogged drains make up a significant part of all insurance claims related to water damage.
What causes a home’s drains to become clogged?
Keyrenter Broward explains there are two significant reasons; natural causes beyond the homeowner’s control and artificial causes from how you use the home’s drains.
The natural causes of clogged drains are less crucial because they account for a considerably small portion of drain issues in the house. These natural causes include:
Normal wear and tear on aging pipes: This is a common cause of clogs in old metal or clay drain pipes. The internal diameter of the pipes often becomes narrow as a result of rust or decay. When this happens, water finds it difficult to pass through the drains, increasing the rate of buildup inside the pipes.
Tree roots intrusion into drain lines: Tree roots may find their way into drainpipes via fractures in the piping or through weakened connections. Once inside the pipes, the roots can grow until they form a ball that partially or completely blocks the drain.
Earth movements: These are small shifts in the soil beneath a home. These slight movements can dislodge or damage a pipe because the proper slope of the drain is altered, making it more predisposed to build up.
But as already stated, natural causes of drain clogs are less critical than artificial ones because they are less frequent. The majority of drain clogs result from poor maintenance and improper use of the drains. Drain systems are designed to carry very specific types of waste. If the wrong items or materials are flushed into drains, they will clog.
The majority of drain clogs result from poor maintenance and improper use of the drains.
Can you prevent drain clogs?
You can prevent the majority of drain clogs since most drain clogs are artificial. The key to keeping a home’s drain free of obstructions is to understand the everyday mistakes that cause this problem and avoid them. Below is a list of things that predispose the drains to clogs and how to avoid them.
Keep FOGS out of the drain
Fats, oils and grease (FOGs) are the number one enemy of drain pipes. Once inside the drain, these materials become congeal, sticking to the sides of pipes and trapping the debris inside wastewater until the pipes are clogged or blocked completely. Pour FOGs into a sealable container and dispose of them in the trash.
Avoid forbidden items
In addition to FOGs, food waste like starchy foods (rice or mashed potatoes), eggshells and coffee grinds should never be flushed into the drain. Starchy foods, for instance, will absorb water and swell to many times their normal size inside the drains. Eggshells and coffee grinds slow the water movement by settling at the bottom of the drainpipes.
Watch what you flush
A few items people dump into their toilets include wipes, paper towels, diapers, female hygiene products, dental floss, paint, or paint thinner. All these items increase the risk of clogs inside a drain system. It has no business inside the toilet if it is not human waste or toilet paper.
Install strainers over drain openings
As unlikely as it sounds, hair and soap scum will block the shower drain. It is not possible to keep your body from shedding hair inside the shower. Soap scum is also an unavoidable product of using soap. To keep soap scum and hair out of bathroom drains, install a mesh screen or a shower drain hair catcher over the drain opening.
Avoid chemical drain cleaners
Chemical drain cleaners are quick fixes that can result in bigger issues. Chemical drain cleaners can clear your drains because they contain strong corrosives. But these corrosives can weaken the drainpipes and make them more liable to leak. To prevent drain clogs, avoid chemical drain cleaners.
Most drain issues start as minor problems that produce telltale signs.
Tackle problems early
As the saying goes, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” This adage is completely true when dealing with drain systems. Most drain issues start as minor problems that produce telltale signs. These small issues become major problems when those signs are ignored. Prompt action to solve problems will prevent most drain clogs.
Finally, even after doing all of the above, it is still possible to have clogs inside the home’s drain system. That is because modern plumbing systems are extensive and complicated. Homeowners can’t keep an eye on everything going on with their home’s drain lines. But there is a simple way to get around this problem.
Annual camera inspections of your sewer lines should be a central part of the plumbing maintenance program for you to prevent clogs in the system. These inspections are vital for picking up problems at the early stages and solving them quickly and cheaply instead of waiting until they escalate into considerable costs. Only a professional plumber should perform these inspections.
A clogged drain is a common problem in the home and commercial building plumbing systems. A drain clog is when wastewater cannot move freely through the drainpipes, or the water moves very slowly. Why do drains get clogged?
There are several reasons why a drain might become clogged. It can be due to natural processes, such as when corrosion narrows old pipes, making it difficult for water to pass through. It could also be due to soil movements that change the position of underground drainpipes.
But the most common causes of clogged drains are artificial, avoidable outcomes of how the drains in a home are used. Toilet drains may clog if something other than human waste is flushed into them, warns Action Properties Management. Kitchen drains are often clogged by a variety of food waste.
In addition to clogs in any drain inside your home, clogs can also occur in different sections of the drain system outside your house. Clogs close to drain openings inside the home are less severe than clogs deep inside the system.
The first type of drain clog will only affect the plumbing fixtures attached to that drain. But when a clog happens in a location deep inside the drainage system, the effect of that blockage will often be seen in all the plumbing fixtures in your home.
Why multiple drains in your home are clogged at once
Clogs affecting multiple drains in your home simultaneously signify serious issues within the home’s drain systems. That is because although each drain opening in the house appears separate from the others, they are connected.
Home drain systems comprise a network of pipes with a central drainpipe – the main sewer line – which collects all the wastewater from the house and carries it to the city sewer. This main sewer line is linked to the various plumbing fixtures in your home via connecting drain pipes.
If one of the drainpipes that feed into the main sewer line becomes clogged, the effect is only felt in the plumbing fixture that uses the drain. But if the clog happens in the main sewer line of your home, all the smaller drainpipes that connect to it will not be able to drain effectively. A good way to prevent this is by having a plumber perform a sewer rodding service.
The clog in the main sewer line creates a bottleneck that keeps wastewater from the plumbing fixtures in your home from flowing through the main sewer line. Instead of flowing into the city sewers, the water collects inside the pipes and may flow backwards into the house.
In most cases, the problem first appears in floor drains inside the home and other ones close to the ground. These drains become slower such as when bathwater doesn’t drain quickly when you shower. You may also find that toilets flush very slowly.
Other signs of a clog in your main sewer line are gurgling sounds from your home’s drains every time you use them, movement in the water inside the toilet bowl when you use the kitchen sink or washing machine and foul odors from drain openings in the house.
Frequent problems with your home’s drains may also signify deeper issues with the main sewer line. If several drains in the house are slow or showing signs of blockage, you may assume that the cause of the problem is in your home’s main sewer line that needs repairing.
Why your main sewer line is blocked and what you can do about it
Here are common reasons why your home’s main sewer line may be clogged:
Pouring grease into the drain:
Fats, grease and oils (FOGs) are the number one cause of drain clogs. These materials stick to pipes and walls and debris attached to them.
Flushing forbidden items into your toilets:
Putting anything other than human waste and toilet paper into your toilet can result in a sewer line clog.
Sagging sewer lines:
This is caused by movements in the soil surrounding the sewer line. Burrowing animals, sinkholes and soil movements due to house settling can cause these.
Aged sewer pipes
This is a common issue with clay and metal drainpipes. As these pipes age, their channels become narrower due to corrosion and sedimentation.
Tree root infiltration
Tree roots may find their way into sewer lines through hairline cracks in the pipe. Once inside the pipe, they can grow until they eventually block it.
What should you do if you are experiencing frequent drain issues in your home and multiple drains show signs of blockage?
The first step is verifying that the problem is with your main sewer line. Have a plumber perform a sewer camera inspection to pinpoint the exact location of the blockage in the sewer line. How you remove the clog depends on the location and what is causing it.
A sewer backup is the most disgusting drainage problem you can ever have in your home. Every year, tens of thousands of homeowners find themselves dealing with this issue in their homes. Yet, in most cases, sewer backups can be prevented if the problem is detected on time.
What is a sewer backup?
Most homes have a sewer line that carries wastewater from the sinks, drains, and toilets in the home to the main sewer lines beneath the streets. A sewer backup happens when the contents of this sewer line backflow into your home instead of flowing into the main sewer lines.
When this happens, all the content of the sewer line (including raw sewage) will start coming up inside the home via the floor drains, toilets, and sinks. A sewer backup releases foul-smelling unsanitary water into the house, causing untold problems for the home’s inhabitants, warns Compass Property Management.
What causes a sewer backup?
Sewer backups happen due to clogs inside a home’s sewer lines. Clogs make it impossible for wastewater to pass through the drainpipes. Having nowhere to go, and as more water is added from the house, the sewer line eventually fills up and spills its contents into the home.
There are many reasons why your home’s sewer lines may become clogged. Some of these reasons are outside your control because they result from natural events. But most sewer line clogs are caused by misuse of your home’s drains or failure to maintain the sewer lines properly. If your sewer line does in fact have a clog, the best way to remove it is by way of a professional hydro jetting service.
Here are a few ways drain clogs can cause sewer backups:
Non-flushable items inside the drains
The only thing that should be flushed into your home’s toilets is toilet paper. When items like wipes, feminine hygiene products, fabric, dental floss, or so-called flushable products enter the toilet, they can block the sewer line.
Hair can also block your sewer line if it gets into sink and shower drains. Soap scum is another major cause of drain clogs. It forms when soap and minerals inside hard water come into contact. Soap scum becomes a hard lining on drainpipe inner surfaces.
Cooking oil and grease buildup
A major cause of sewer line blockage is cooking oil or grease buildup inside drainpipes. Fats, oils, and grease (FOG) congeal into a hard mass as they cool inside the sewer line. This hard, sticky mass can directly block the channel or stick to the surface of the pipe.
Once in place, the greasy lining will start to trap debris until the diameter of the pipe narrows to a point where water can no longer flow freely. If this situation is not reversed, it can culminate in a sewer backup.
Use of chemical drain cleaners
Chemical drain cleaners can dissolve the clogs inside your sewer lines. But while they remove clogs in the short term, they also cause long-term damage to sewer lines. That’s because cleaners contain caustic chemicals.
These chemicals are responsible for the corrosive nature of cleaners that allows them to eat away the clog inside the pipes. The problem is that the chemicals can also weaken the drainpipe, causing sections to collapse, thereby blocking the pipe.
Old pipes
If a sewer line has old pipes, it is more susceptible to clogs, and the risk of sewer backups in the home will be greater. This is particularly true for sewer lines made of clay or metal pipes because those start to degrade as soon as they are buried in the ground.
Long terms exposure to moisture, from within and without, eventually causes the pipes to leak or even collapse, in turn calling for an unexpected sewer line repair expense. If the surrounding soil finds its way into the pipe, it can result in the sewer backing up into the home.
Earth movements
The soil around a sewer line can cause it to become clogged if that soil moves in a way that alters the position of the pipes. Upward or downward movements in the soil can change the level of the sewer line and make it difficult for water to flow freely.
If the water inside the pipe is forced to slow down, it will deposit debris in that pipe section. This can continue until enough dirt accumulates in that lowered pipe section to block it and cause a sewer backup emergency.
Tree roots
Tree roots may pierce a sewer line and block it. Most times, this happens due to small leaks in the pipe, which attract the attention of tree roots. To access the nutrient-rich water inside the pipe, the tree roots break into the sewer line and block it. Tree roots can also block a sewer line by growing over or above it and moving it out of place. This creates a depression inside the pipe, where debris is dumped until the entire sewer line is blocked.
So, you think something inside your drain obstructs the channel and would like to clear it out. But how are you going to do that? What is the best way to clean your drains? Should you do it yourself or hire a professional plumber?
Doing it yourself typically means using a chemical drain cleaner. But while this is a quick method to get water flowing through the drains again, there are good reasons why it is not a good option, warns Rent Appeal, especially if you consider the long-term impact of this solution.
Most homeowners use chemical drain cleaners because they think they save time and money. But the sad truth is that chemical drain cleaners do not save you money. Using them in your drains will cost you more money in the future.
How is that?
Why you should never use chemical drain cleaners
Chemical drain cleaners contain corrosives, principally sulfuric acid and caustic soda. These chemicals are so corrosive that after about five seconds of being inside your drains, they will not only start to eat away at the debris inside the pipes but also corrode them.
But the damage to your plumbing is not immediately evident when you use a chemical drain cleaner. That’s because drain cleaners thin out the pipes, making your plumbing fragile, more susceptible to leaks, and exposing your home to a greater risk of water damage.
The other reason not to use chemical drain cleaners is for personal safety. When using drain cleaners, you must wear rubber gloves and protective goggles. Additionally, you must pour the chemical very slowly because if it splashes on your skin, it will cause burns.
However, even if you succeed in pouring a drain cleaner into your drain without getting it on your skin or your eyes, drain cleaners sit inside your drain pipes for a long time. If the drain cleaner inside the pipe mixes with other cleaners, it can release deadly gases into your home.
So, if drain cleaners are harmful, what is the alternative?
You can buy a hand auger or plunger for nearly the same amount you pay for a chemical drain cleaner. These effectively remove clogs near the drain opening and can be used repeatedly. There are also lots of natural drain cleaning methods you can use.
But these methods do not address the root cause of the clogs in your drains. They only work as short-term fixes. The best long-term solution for keeping your drains in good condition is to hire a professional plumber. Why should you take this option?
Benefits of hiring a professional plumber
Solve problems effectively
Unlike when homeowners try to solve issues in their plumbing, a professional plumber does not just focus on the symptoms of the problem. A professional plumber will find the root cause of the problem by way of a sewer camera inspection service.
Also, unlike chemical drain cleaners, which do not distinguish between the debris inside the pipes and the PVC, metal, or enamel of your plumbing, the professional plumber can pinpoint the cause of the problem and solve it effectively.
They can educate you
Most blockages inside your drains are caused by the improper use of the drains, such as when you flush fats, oils, and grease (FOGs) into the drain or misuse of the garbage disposal.
A professional plumber can prevent future problems by identifying behaviors contributing to your plumbing issues. They can give you advice that will help you avoid future problems and save costs.
Detect problems early
Most plumbing problems start as minor issues with early warning signs of the impending catastrophe. Blockages happen when those initial signs are overlooked. A professional plumber can save you money by catching problems at the beginning stages and solving them before they become significant costs; instead of compounding your plumbing issues, as chemical drain cleaners would, professional plumbers help you avoid problems.
Routine maintenance
A local plumber can help you do routine maintenance of your plumbing. Rather than wait for problems to happen before you pay attention to your drains, regular maintenance of the system will prevent issues.
For instance, a camera inspection of your drains does not cost much, but this simple step will save you the thousands of dollars you would have spent to fix damage caused by a sewer backup.
Professional advice
A professional plumber will help you keep your plumbing up to date. From information about new regulations to innovative plumbing products that have just entered the market, your plumber is more in touch with the industry.
They can ensure that instead of merely spending money to keep the system running, you can invest your money to improve your plumbing system. A professional plumber can help you build a resilient system with fewer problems and lower costs.
To sum up, why should you call a plumber for drain cleaning services? The straightforward answer is that only a professional plumber can clear the debris inside your drains by way of sewer rodding or high-powered hydro jetting service. Chemical drain cleaners and other methods will not do it.
The leaves on the trees are starting to change their colors, and the amount of rainfall we get has slowly begun to drop. Fall is here, and it is time to prepare for winter. This is the time to do all those maintenance chores you have been postponing all summer.
To prepare your home for winter, says RedSail Property Management, you should ensure your heating is working, and that there are no cracks or openings in the building where warm air can escape. You also want to check the plumbing for emerging issues, and, most importantly, this is the time to clean your drains.
Drain cleaning is best done in the fall to avoid complications during winter or unpleasant surprises at the start of spring. The chances of sewer backups increase when your drains are not cleaned at this time of the year. Why is fall the best time to clean your gutters?
Why fall is the best time for drain cleaning
There is more debris during fall and winter
The potential for yard waste to build up inside the drains is highest in autumn when trees shed their leaves. As more leaves, twigs, and dirt find their way into the drains, the risk that they will block your drains is greater.
If the water table rises during this time and your drain is not clean, you could find yourself dealing with a sewer backup. The cost of fixing the damage caused by a sewer backup is massive compared to what it will cost you to clear the drains.
To prevent trouble after Halloween
The fleshy insides of pumpkins, sticky Halloween candies, and holiday baking ingredients are just a few of the things that can find their way into the drains during Halloween.
Your drains are not equipped to handle this stuff, and there is a chance they will get overwhelmed with the garbage. Thanksgiving, which happens less than a month after Halloween, also releases much waste into the drains. All that debris needs to be taken out before the onset of winter.
Preparation for upcoming winter activities
As you get closer to winter, you may find that your shower, sinks, and toilet drains are slower. This results from accumulated debris from the yard, Halloween, and Thanksgiving. If you don’t do something to solve the problem, you may have more significant issues when there are more people in your home in the coming holiday season. If you have plans to cook a holiday meal, you want to make sure those plans are not upset by a clogged drain or backed-up sewer.
Trees alter their behavior
Trees get their moisture from above ground during spring and summer because there is enough precipitation in the atmosphere for their needs. But as rainfall gradually ceases and fall sets in, tree roots also change their behavior.
They turn their attention to sources within the soil for nourishment. One of the places they are likely to turn to is your sewer line. If your sewer line is clogged, it increases the chances of leaks and the possibility of tree roots finding their way into the pipe.
It is practical
It makes sense to clean your drain during fall for several practical reasons. For one thing, it is back to school season, the home is quieter, and the kids are less likely to get in the way of your plumber.
Secondly, the groundwater level at this time is optimum for drain cleaning; there is a lower risk of soil being washed into the drain. Finally, most businesses are winding down for the year, and you can clean the drain in readiness for next year’s activities.
The right way to clean your drains
When there is a clog in one of the drains in your home, it is normal to first try to solve the issue by applying a DIY solution. While do-it-yourself measures are effective for certain drain problems, they will not solve the deep-seated blockages covered earlier. Moreover, some DIY methods, like chemical drain cleaners, will damage your drains.
You need a professional plumber to clean the drains without damaging your pipes. The plumber will not just remove the debris inside your pipes; they will also give you an idea of the general condition of your drains. The plumber will also identify budding issues with the drains and advise you on the best ways to avoid them.
Professional plumbers use the following drain cleaning methods:
Sewer camera inspection: A video camera is inserted into the drain opening and fed into the sewer line to capture the inside of the pipes and help the plumber determine the location and extent of blockages.
Hydro-jetting: Using highly specialized equipment, a professional plumber will send a powerful stream of water into the pipes to clear blockages and shear away any tree roots inside your drains.
Slow or blocked drains are common issues every homeowner experiences with their home’s plumbing from time to time. Due to how often we use them and what we use them for, toilet, bathroom, and kitchen drains are always at risk of getting blocked.
When this happens, it is normal that you will want to cut costs by trying to fix the problem yourself. Like most homeowners, says DRP Management, you will reach for a drain snake, plunger, chemical drain cleaner, vinegar, or baking soda, each time your drains show signs of trouble.
But do DIY drain cleaning solutions work? Are you really saving money when you use them? What is their long-term impact on the health of your drains? Is there a right time to use DIY drain cleaning methods, and what are their limitations? This post answers those questions.
Common DIY drain cleaning methods and why they can be a bad idea
The most common do-it-yourself methods for clearing clogs and blockages from your drains are:
Handheld drain snakes
Plungers
Baking soda, vinegar, salt, and boiling water
Chemical drain cleaners
Chemical drain cleaners are easily the worst things you can pour into your drains. While they may clear your drains, they do so at a huge cost. Chemical drain cleaners have acids in them. These acids do not discriminate between the material blocking the pipe and the pipe itself.
Chemical drain cleaners not only shorten the lifespan of your pipes, but they also harm the environment. The acids in chemical drain cleaners will not only dissolve the clogs inside your drain but corrode your pipes and eventually find their way into the soil, which will leach into groundwater.
The other DIY drain cleaning methods in this list are only suitable for removing clogs close to the drain opening. If the material blocking your drainpipe is further inside the pipe, removing it with the above drain cleaning methods is often impossible.
Baking soda, plungers, salt, vinegar, and hot water are only useful when you have an emergency. Because they do not actually remove the material blocking the pipe but merely push it further down the pipe, they cannot be used as a long-term fix.
But if you do not understand these DIY drain cleaning methods and use them as your go-to solution for drain issues, you can expect the following problems.
The trouble with DIY drain cleaning
Health and environmental issues
In addition to the harm they do to your drainpipes, chemical drain cleaners are also dangerous to your health. The toxic compounds inside drain cleaners linger in the air after the cleaner is flushed into the drain. They may eventually end up inside the lungs and stomachs of humans and pets.
Furthermore, using chemical drain cleaners is almost the same as putting poison in your drinking water. These harmful substances flow from your drain into the city sewer system and finally into the water bodies that feed the natural systems where we get our drinking water.
DIY solutions ignore the root cause
When you hire a local plumber to unclog drains in your home, that plumber adopts a holistic approach, including the entire plumbing system and how you use them.
This ensures that whatever solutions they employ for the issues will have a lasting effect. Conversely, DIY drain cleaning solutions are temporary fixes that do not address your drain problem’s underlying cause.
Your drain problems never go away
DIY drain cleaning methods only worsen the issues with your drains. Unlike when you use a professional plumber, DIY drain cleaning does not highlight the things you are doing that may hurt your drains. They also don’t altogether remove the offensive materials inside the drains. The result is that those drain problems only worsen with time until they do massive damage that will cost a ton of money to fix.
You can’t do preventive maintenance with DIY drain cleaning
With DIY drain cleaning, you must wait until there is an issue with your drains before you take action. These solutions lock you into a reactive mindset where you are always one step behind the problems with your plumbing.
A professional plumber, on the other hand, can help you create a preventive maintenance program via a sewer rodding service, that will let you avoid major issues with your drains, prolong the life of your plumbing and help you save money in the long run. You should also think about having your drains and sewer lines hydro jetted every 5-6 years for a full and thorough cleaning.
Save money and time
Hiring a professional plumber to solve the issues with your plumbing can help you save time and money. A professional plumber will find and solve those issues in a fraction of the time it takes you to find them.
Furthermore, when selling your home, the fact that your plumbing is managed by a professional makes much difference. Buyers have more confidence when the systems are under the care of an expert, and they are often willing to pay you more for the peace of mind that comes with that knowledge.
5 Benefits of Professional Drain Cleaning Service – Plumbing systems are designed to withstand constant use throughout the year. But the resilience of your home’s plumbing system can also become a problem; as Paradise Management explains, it could be why you don’t view the plumbing as a top priority when cleaning the house or doing routine maintenance.
But just because your home’s plumbing doesn’t break down often doesn’t mean the system does not need regular care. Many of the plumbing issues you have had in the past or the ones you will have in the future are the results of minor problems you overlooked.
Plumbing systems will have problems and break down from time to time; that is normal. But if those issues become frequent or worsen with each occurrence, it indicates a long-term issue that has not been solved. Examples of such long-standing plumbing problems include:
Several drains inside your home are clogged simultaneously; the toilet, sink, and shower may have issues simultaneously. Or you may have clogs that persist for more than one week. These are signs of longstanding issues with the plumbing coming to the surface.
There are bad smells around the home, and they refuse to go away even after you clean your home. The usual cause of this problem is accumulated waste inside your drainpipes. The decaying materials release obnoxious gases that find their way into the house.
Gurgling sounds inside the drains. Air may become trapped inside your pipes as a clog forms within them. When water enters those pipes, that air is compressed and tries to find a way out through your drain opening. The escaping air causes the gurgling sound you hear.
Invasion by fruit flies. If you see a lot of drain flies inside your home, there must be some decaying matter inside the house. If you have checked and your trash does not cause the problem, the most likely cause is a blockage inside your drains.
What should you do when you have drain issues?
Most homeowners will use DIY solutions until the problem becomes so bad that the DIY solution doesn’t help anymore. Standard DIY solutions homeowners use include removing the clog with baking soda and vinegar or pouring a chemical drain cleaner into the drain to remove the clog.
But these DIY solutions do not really solve the problem; they only relieve the immediate symptoms. Even worse, some DIY solutions, such as chemical drain cleaners, worsen the situation. On the other hand, a drain cleaning service such as a hydro-jetting is always the best option for solving plumbing issues in your home.
A professional drain cleaning service such as a sewer line rodding or hydro-jetting is always the best option for solving plumbing issues in your home.
Here is why.
Five benefits of hiring a professional drain cleaning service
Avoid hassles and complications
Your home’s plumbing issues will never stop when you use short-term ineffective solutions. Living with drains that need constant cleaning or toilets that must be plunged every week is a major pain. The emotional toll of the problem is just one part. In addition to the stress, these DIY solutions will cause complications in your plumbing system, costing you tens of thousands of dollars to fix.
Avoid unnecessary health issues
Increased respiratory problems and allergic reactions among family members or pets are some health problems resulting from not handling drain issues well. This is because mold and mildew take hold inside the home’s drains or chemical drain cleaners find their way into the water supply. Conversely, the methods used by professional drain cleaning services will not endanger humans or the environment.
Save money in the long run
The number one reason homeowners prefer DIY methods for their drain problems versus hiring a professional drain cleaning service is that they want to save money. But do DIY solutions save money when they don’t actually solve the problem from the root? The problem only worsens, and the cost of fixing it becomes much higher. This would not happen if a professional drain cleaning service were hired from the get-go.
Detect problems before they happen
DIY methods are only useful after a plumbing problem becomes evident in your home. They are reactive in nature. Hiring a professional drain cleaning service for your home’s plumbing works differently. The local plumber will not only correct the current issues with the plumbing, but they will also prevent future drain problems by detecting potential issues via sewer camera inspections and taking preemptive steps to solve them.
Get professional advice
A professional plumber also plays the role of a consultant. They offer insights that can help you protect your home’s plumbing. This is important because many of the issues with your plumbing are caused by misuse of the system. A professional plumber will also help you take advantage of innovative plumbing products just entering the market. They will help you stay updated with changes to the building codes that may affect your building.
Clogged drains are not just a mild inconvenience as some people might consider. They can cause serious harm to the property, warns Whole Property Management. If you start to notice a clogged drain in your home, you need to respond urgently. But how do you identify a clogged drain?
Signs of clogged drains
Slow-moving drains
Pipes and drains do not block altogether at once. The blockage builds up gradually over time. As the debris keeps accumulating inside the drain, it slows down the movement of wastewater. So, if you notice that your drain is slowing down, it means a clog is developing in the drain.
However, if all your drains are slowing simultaneously, you may be dealing with a clogged sewer line. On careful observation, toilet drains are the first to slow down if the sewer line develops a clog. Water may hang on for a while before it gradually sinks as you flush the toilet following this occurrence.
Gurgling sounds
When clogs develop in your drain, they hinder the free flow of wastewater. Pipes conduct sound, and as a result, you may notice weird noises when wastewater drains through your plumbing fixtures. People commonly describe these noises as gurgling sounds when using the drain. Sometimes, you may observe it as bubbling, trickling, or hissing sounds. Cases that affect the main sewer line may experience these weird noises for a long time after you stop using the drain.
Clogged plumbing fixtures
A clogged plumbing fixture is a late sign. In this case, there is already a severe or complete blockage of the pipe. As a result, almost no water can flow through the drainpipe. You may notice this if your tub fills up as you are trying a shower or the sink overflows as you are using it.
The consequences of having a clogged drain
Remember that you pour or flush items into the drains. Such things may include waste, food, gunk, hair, etc. These items will accumulate within the pipe and lead to clogging.
Unpleasant odors
Why do you experience unpleasant odors when you have a clogged drain? Remember that you pour or flush items into the drains. Such things may include waste, food, gunk, hair, etc. These items will accumulate within the pipe and lead to clogging.
As a result, bacteria will have a suitable environment to grow and cause decay. The decay will present itself as terrible odors emanating from your drain. In addition, these odors will not stay within the pipes alone. They will also spread to other areas of the home. Imagine perceiving an unpleasant odor throughout your property. It can be upsetting to guests and neighbors.
Pest infestations
Several types of pests may infest a property that is experiencing clogged drains. The reasons are that unpleasant odors from the drain will attract pests, and the stagnant water will provide a suitable environment for them to thrive. Mosquitos and other insects multiply by laying their eggs in stagnant water. If food particles clog the drain, they will serve as a food for the pest.
Clogged drains will attract the following insects:
Drain flies (moth flies)
Phorid flies
Cockroaches
Fruit flies
Health hazards
Clogged drains provide an unhealthy environment in the home. Remember that the pipes harbor bacteria and produce unpleasant odors. These bacteria can contaminate your drinking water and cause harmful infections.
Symptoms of such illnesses may present as fever, diarrhea, or vomiting. Common bacteria that may spread because of clogged drains include salmonella, campylobacter, helicobacter, etc. Unpleasant odors from clogged drains can cause nausea, vomiting, dizziness, headaches, anxiety, mood swings, and irritations to the throat, eyes, and nose.
Pest infestation during clogged drains also helps in spreading germs. After nesting inside clogged pipes, these pests may perch on your food, plates, or drinking water.
Molds also grow because of clogged drains. The effects of mold growths in your home may present as allergies or respiratory diseases.
After pooling for some time, water will start leaking through the pipe joints, seals, and caulking.
Plumbing leaks
Water will always find a way to escape. When drains clog, the wastewater will back up within the pipes. After pooling for some time, water will start leaking through the pipe joints, seals, and caulking. Depending on the size of the leakage, some homeowners may not notice it immediately.
Structural damage
Gradual leakage of plumbing fixtures into the soil and surrounding structure can affect the property. If it happens close to the foundation, the structural integrity will weaken.
Severe drain clogs will cause wastewater to back up into your home. As a result, your home may experience flooding. Depending on the type of flooring, floods in the home may damage the floors. When this happens, the repairs are usually expensive.
The bottom line
It is advisable to treat a clogged drain as an emergency. When you notice that you are experiencing clogged drains, turn off the water supply to your home and call a local plumber. Plumbers have the appropriate tools, training, and skills to locate the problem inside the drain or offer professional drain cleaning solutions such as high-power hydro jetting.
Drains are among the most neglected parts of the home’s plumbing systems. The drains in your home are often out of sight – buried deep inside the ground. As a result, they don’t typically feature in most homeowners’ maintenance plans. Moreover, drains are not the most pleasant home features. They harbor smelly bacteria-laden water, so it is typical to avoid them.
But those smelly drains in your home serve a vital purpose. Issues with the drains can disrupt your lifestyle or even damage your property, warns SCUDOre.com. Everyday household activities, such as taking a refreshing shower in the morning or washing the dishes, can come to a screeching halt when the drains in the home malfunction. Furthermore, issues with the drains can result in damage to your home’s interior and landscaping.
Every single day, the following materials go down the drains in your home:
Different kinds of food particles and grease when you wash the dishes.
Soap, hair, and all kinds of dirt; when you take a shower or wash your hands at the sink.
Human waste from every time you use the toilet.
These go into the drains and cause build-ups. It eventually gets to the point when the collection prevents the proper functioning of the drain, such as when you have a blockage. But build-ups are not the only problems your drains can have. Several other artificial and natural issues can interfere with the drain’s performance.
But all these issues can be solved or prevented by cleaning your drains on a schedule. How often should you clean your drains, and what are the benefits of doing so?
Five good reasons to clean your drains
Reduce the risk of blockages
Blockages in the drains can be very costly in terms of how much damage they do to your home and the inconvenience they cause. Some of the possible outcomes of blocked drains are flooding from the bathroom drain or overflowing toilet, disgusting sewer backups, the possibility of damage to your lawn, and costly pipe replacements. The only way to take control and prevent these issues is to clean your drains regularly.
Reduce the risk of terrible odors in your home
The horrible smell emanating from the drains is typical because the drain carries wastewater. But these odors do not have to get into your home. Horrible odors from the drain find their way into your home when components of the drain stop working or are damaged. Regular cleaning of your drains not only gives you the chance to address the build-up that causes terrible odors but also lets you discover problems early and deal with them before they become plumbing emergencies.
Reduced risk of costly repairs
The tiniest issues can become big problems if you allow them to go on long enough. One thing you do not want in your home is an emergency due to problems with the drain. There is no telling how much such problems will eventually cost. It is easier to remove sludge from your pipes than to pay the financial consequences of a blockage, especially when it results in property damage. It is cheaper to remove harmful tree roots than replace the sewer line after roots destroy them.
Improve indoor air quality and health
By cleaning your drains regularly, you eliminate the risk of your family exposure to toxic bacteria-laden gases from the drains. These gases have a negative impact on your indoor air quality. Drain cleaning also eliminates the possibility of releasing disease-causing wastewater into your home. Cleaning the drains will keep your home sanitary and safe for everyone who lives in it. The cost of keeping the drains open does not compare to the financial and emotional toll ill health can take on you.
Prolong the lifespan of your drain
You can prevent most of the issues that shorten your drain’s lifespan by cleaning it on a schedule. Leaks and other problems become common when build-up inside the pipes is unchecked. The result is that the pipes will fail before the end of their estimated lifespan. Conversely, you can stretch the usefulness of your drain pipes beyond their lifespan by keeping them free of build-up.
How often should you clean your drains?
As a rule, clean the drains once every year. Do this whether there are issues with the drain or not. Cleaning your drain every year is a preventive step to help you avoid problems. You may need to clean the drains more than once a year or less than once a year. It all depends on the size of your household. Bigger households often need to have their drains professionally cleaned more than once a year. Small families can afford to clean their drains less regularly.
The Absolute Best Drain Cleaning Method is Known as Hydro-Jetting
