When it comes to making home improvements, there are many, many things that you can do on your own, or at least with minimal help from a handyman.
Perhaps you think that drain cleaning is one of those things. After all, you can just grab a bottle of chemical drain cleaning solution from the store and call it a day, right?
Well, not quite–and we’ll talk about that more below.
But the truth is, if you want to not only relieve your clogged drain but prevent your plumbing system from having the same problem again soon, then you want to have professional plumbing done. Read on as we uncover signs of a clogged drain, the common things that cause it, and why you shouldn’t use chemicals to unclog your drain.
Signs of a Clogged Drain
Did you turn on your faucet and notice that you have water and debris backing up in the sink? If this is your kitchen sink and you have a garbage disposal, try running it to see if that resolves the problem. If it’s any other drain, then you have a drain clog. There’s not much to knowing when or if you have a drain clog.
Common Drain Clog Causes
Drain clogs come from a few different sources, depending on where in the home you are. In the kitchen, FOG (fats, oils, and grease) is a huge culprit. In the bathroom, hair, soap scum, and anything other than toilet paper being flushed are all culprits.
The good news is, we have the tools like drain snakes and hydro jets, to effectively remove these clogs and prevent new ones from occurring.
Should I Use Chemicals to Unclog a Drain?
As we stated above, no, you should never use chemicals to unclog your drain. We get why you would want to–it seems like a quick fix, right? The truth is that yes, the chemical drain cleaners you can get at the store can quickly relieve a clog, but that doesn’t mean it’s doing so effectively.
These chemicals can only dissolve certain types of clogs, so even though the chemicals can cut through some others, those clogs will just build back up–and you’ll find yourself buying more chemical drain cleaners to try to resolve the issue. You’ll keep using them, and the problem with this is that the chemicals are caustic.
This means they eventually eat away at and corrode your plumbing pipes. As a result, you will have leaks and other plumbing system problems.
When Should I Shut Off My Water?
The good news about drain clogs is that there is no reason for you to shut off your water! If you have a leak, and that leak is causing backed-up water due to a drain clog, then yes, that’s when you should find your main water line shut-off valve and close it. You don’t want water backing up into your property, after all.
However, if you have a single drain, or even a couple of drains, that are clogged, simply stop using the appliances or fixtures for those particular drains, and give us a call for professional drain cleaning!
At Dalton Plumbing, Heating, Cooling, Electric and Fireplaces, Inc., your comfort is our promise! To set up an appointment, give us a call at the number above, email customerservice@daltonphc.com or schedule an appointment online for professional drain cleaning in Cedar Rapids, IA.