How do you even know signs you need professional drain cleaning services? A clogged drain is not something that can happen to the plumbing system in your home. A clogged drain is something that will happen to the plumbing system in your home. Your home’s drains will clog at some point because drain clogs are a natural consequence of the function of your home’s drain system.
How is this true?
It is true because although drains are designed to transport wastewater out of the various plumbing fixtures in your home, that wastewater is not all-liquid. The wastewater from your home’s toilet, shower, and sink drains contains different amounts of solid and semi-solid materials.
This solid or semi-solid part of wastewater can settle along the sides and bottom of your drain pipes as wastewater flows through the pipes. Over time these deposits may start to harden and accumulate to a point where they interfere with water movement through the pipes.
If this happens, the rate at which solid and semi-solid matter is deposited inside the pipe will increase until the pipe channel is obstructed. This blockage can affect the rate at which one or all of the drains in your home function; you will have a clogged drain.
However, this is not to say that drain clogs are totally inevitable in your home.
You can take steps to interrupt this natural process and keep your drains from getting clogged. By having the drains professionally inspected and cleaned, you can eliminate the buildup inside them and spare yourself the stress of dealing with clogged drains in your home.
If you’re a property manager and clogged drains are a frequent thing in your properties, you might want to consider scheduling a regular drain cleaning. This way you’ll automate the task and won’t forget about it, avoiding emergencies. It’ll save you time as well as money!
How do professional drain cleaning services work?
Professional drain cleaning is a detailed process done by a professional plumber to determine the condition of your home’s drains and eliminate any deposits and blockages within the system. This process often includes the following three steps:
- A sewer camera inspection to detect problems in the drain or sewer lines and their severity.
- Preliminary cleaning of the drain using a motorized drain auger.
- Getting rid of all the debris in the pipes by hydro-jetting the system.
The benefit of doing this process periodically – before you have a drain clog – is avoiding the cost of fixing pipes that clogs and blockages have damaged. Scheduled drain cleaning is a proactive maintenance step that will save you the inconvenience and cost of clogged drains.
How do you know when your home’s drains need professional cleaning?
If multiple drains are slow at the same time, you can be sure there is an issue with your home’s main sewer line.
7 signs that you need professional drain cleaning services
Multiple slow drains
If only one drain in the home is slow, the problem is usually not from your home’s main sewer line. But if multiple drains are slow at the same time, you can be sure there is an issue with your home’s main sewer line. In that case, you should call a plumber before the problem turns into an emergency.
Foul odors from your drains
A foul odor from your drain indicates that sewer gases are trapped inside the drainpipes and have nowhere to go. This only happens when a drain line is blocked. As water enters the blocked pipes, the trapped gases inside the line will be displaced into your home.
Gurgling sounds
Gurgling sounds from a drain are caused by air pockets in the drain system. When you flush water into the drain, this air is squeezed backward until it exits from the drain opening inside the home, causing the gurgling sound you hear. A drainpipe will have pockets of air if it is blocked or clogged.
The conditions inside a drainpipe with buildup provide the perfect mold growth environment.
Invasion by pests
If your home is suddenly invaded by pests, such as rats or roaches, it could be because decaying food inside your pipes attracts them. These pests may not even find a way into your home. If you start seeing many pests in your yard, you likely have a clogged drain.
Mold smell and mold sickness
The conditions inside a drainpipe with buildup provide the perfect mold growth environment. If mold is growing inside your home’s drains, you may notice a musty smell inside the house and an increase in the rate of allergic reactions or respiratory issues among your family members.
Problem with fruit flies
Food debris buildup inside the drainpipes will draw fruit flies into your kitchen. Fruit flies are usually attracted to leftover food on kitchen counters and sinks. If your kitchen is always clean, but fruit flies suddenly appear in your home, they may feed on the food particles inside your drainpipes.
DIY efforts have failed
If you have tried to solve your home’s drain problem using different DIY methods and they have not worked, it is probably because there is a deeper issue with the drains. The best option at the time is to have the drains inspected and cleaned by a professional drain cleaning service.
What should you do next if you are dealing with any of these issues in your home? You should talk to a plumber that specializes in drain cleaning services.