A lot of things go down your drains on a daily basis that could create clogs. Oils, food, grease, hair, soap scum, minerals from hard water, and paper products go down the drains and toilets and head for the main sewer line. It's no wonder drains clog up occasionally, especially since tree roots from outside can also grow in the drains.
There are things you can do to keep your drains clean and things you'll need a plumber to do. Here are some ways to go about residential drain pipe cleaning.
Ways To Keep Your Drains Clean
An important step for maintaining your drains is to watch what you allow to go down them. Only put fast-dissolving toilet paper down your toilets. Keep grease out of your kitchen drains, and use hair screens on the drains in your tub and shower to keep hair out of the drains.
You may also want to clean the pipes occasionally using an enzyme product made for cleaning drains. It's also a good idea to buy toilet and sink plungers since you can often plunge a drain to clear out a clog. You might even want to buy a small drain snake you can use to clear minor clogs yourself. However, stubborn or deep clogs often need the help of a plumber and professional equipment.
Ways A Plumber Cleans Drain Pipes
Residential drain pipe cleaning can be done in a couple of ways. Your plumber might try plunging first, and if that isn't successful, they may use a drain snake or a water jet to clean out the clog. Both tools are capable of clearing out all kinds of clogs, including tree roots. Your plumber will choose the right tool based on the type of clog and the drain that's affected.
A snake is used to enter the drain and snag a clog so the clog can be pulled out of the drain. The snake may even break the clog up so it can be flushed on through the drain. Commercial snakes are usually much bigger than the inexpensive DIY snakes and they have longer cables so the snake can go deep in the drain.
A hydro jet utilizes a strong stream of water to clean the drain. This drain pipe cleaning method busts up clogs and it also washes the sides of the drain to get off scum and scale that's been building over the years. The water is strong enough to cut through roots and other tough materials and it sprays out all around the nozzle so the drain is scrubbed clean and the clog is washed away into the city sewer.
Share3 February 2023
Think about how different your life would be without plumbing. To get water, you would have to walk outside and pull it up from a well. To use the bathroom, you would have to venture out to an outhouse, which would certainly not be pleasant in the winter. We really have to thank plumbers for the work that they do, since it allows us all to stay comfortable and do our business inside of our homes. Life has been transformed, in so many ways, by the plumbing profession. Join us in honoring plumbers by reading the articles on this website.