A clogged drain can damage your plumbing, cause burst pipes, lead to significant water damage throughout the home, and require attention from a professional plumber.
Some homeowners use various DIY methods to keep from getting clogged drains in their kitchen sinks and bathroom sinks, such as hot water from the faucet, baking soda, boiling water & dish soap, a cup of vinegar, table salt, bleach or other chemical drain cleaners. When it comes to staying clog-free and preventing plumbing problems with sink drains and your home’s plumbing system, regular maintenance can be vital to preventing a drain clog, slow drains, or septic system issues.
Commons Problems from Not Cleaning Your Drains
What issues can surface if you do not regularly clean your drains? Here are some examples of the common problems that arise if you neglect to clean your drains:
Bad Odors: Does your sink drain smell like rotten eggshells? Do you notice an unpleasant sulfur odor emanating from your drains? Foul odors are one of the most obvious signs that you have growing blockages.
A bad odor coming from a drain is one of the most obvious signs of a problem. While the stinky drain may not be clogged yet, foul odors are coming from the drain means organic materials are lodged in the drain, rotting and growing bacteria, gunk, peels, and other material that goes down kitchen drains.
Clogged Drains: Do you have a tub drain, sink or shower drain that keeps clogging? If so, this may be a sign that a blockage is stopping water from draining through the pipes. From soap scum, toothpaste, toilet paper, and hair – your bathroom drain pipes can have stubborn clogs from everything they can see.
At first, the clog may not be a big deal, but as the blockage grows, it can make the draining process slower and slower until the blockage stops the flow of water altogether, which can be quite unpleasant, leading to bacteria-filled standing water – an unsightly mess.
Damage to Your Plumbing System: If we neglect our bodies for a long time, for example, if we eat a poor diet and we don’t exercise. Eventually, the years of neglect will take their toll on our health. It’s the same thing with drains. Years of neglect will lead to corrosion and system failures.
If you neglect to maintain your drain system, it can lead to irreversible damage. Sludge and blockages accumulate, restricting the flow of wastewater in the pipes.
As all that sludge, hair, grease, and grime accumulate over time, they: 1) impede water flow, 2) put too much stress on the pipes, 3) cause clogs, 4) cause slow draining of wastewater, and 5) stop draining altogether.
Best Way to Keep Your Drains Clean
There may not be a “best” way to clean your drains, but several recommended options exist. The most recommended method is drain cleaning in Kansas City can be done professionally with techniques like Hydro-Jet Cleaning. A-1 Sewer & Septic Service uses high-pressure water to thoroughly eliminate blockages and debris.
Drain cleaning machines called rooters can unclog drains, too, but there are also ways to keep drains clean to prevent clogs in the first place:
- Remove debris and rinse bathroom sink pop-up stoppers.
- Clear debris from shower/bathtub drain covers using bent wire or a hairbrush.
- Collect cooking grease in a can or container and throw it in the trash.
- Dispose of coffee grounds in the garbage rather than down the drain.
- Install drain screens in tubs and showers.
Other techniques for keeping drains clean include:
- Brushing your hair before showering.
- Using a quality plunger or auger
- Properly cleaning your garbage disposal.
- Clean out the grease in the garbage disposal every month and rinse the system with water, so grease and slime do not build up in the pipes.
It is recommended by most professional plumbing services to stay away from chemical drain cleaners as much as possible. Although most homeowners believe it to be the most convenient and cost-effective solution, it is, and it isn’t. At the moment, a chemical drain cleaner will work to clean out your drain and eliminate the clog with its chemical solution, but at the cost of your plumbing system. Chemical drain cleaners can corrode your pipes and wear them down to the point of breaking them. When pipes break down, a costly replacement will be the newest problem. Having a quick, easy solution for a clogged drain that could result in a major costly replacement isn’t fun for anyone.
If you need a cost-effective solution for drain cleaning, natural and mechanical solutions are preferred. Most homeowners have the ingredients around the house for natural drain cleaners like baking soda and vinegar. There are plenty of other solutions to drain cleaning than immediately going for the chemical drain cleaners like drano.
Know When To Call A Professional Plumbing Service For Drain Cleaning
These are just a few tips, but it’s important to know when you’ve exhausted your knowledge and experience and need to have a professional brought in. Some clogs are stubborn enough that the big guns must be brought in. Use a highly recommended plumbing service for drain cleaning to ensure a healthy and clean plumbing system.
You can depend on A-1 Sewer & Septic Service for the most thorough Kansas City drain cleaning. For maintenance, same-day or last-minute service in the evening, on weekends, or during holidays, call 913-631-5201 and let a professional plumber from A-1 take care of you and yours.
