At Rosenberg Plumbing & Air, we get a lot of questions from San Antonio, TX, homeowners about the correct process of cleaning their drains. Often, they have tried some DIY method that they heard about from a friend or online, only to have it not work completely or even exacerbate their problem. Sometimes, they have even caused damage to their pipes, taking the problem beyond a simple cleaning job to requiring a professional drain repair. We want to ensure you don’t make these same mistakes, so let’s explore everything you need to know to clean a drain thoroughly.
Why You Might Need Drain Cleaning
There are several reasons why San Antonio homeowners might opt to clean their drains.
Slow Draining
One of the most common reasons homeowners want to clean their drains is if they notice that their water drains slowly. In bathrooms, this can come from too much hair, soap scum, dead skin, or other debris working its way down your drain. In the kitchen, this can happen from things like food scraps or F.O.G. (fats, oil, and grease). Quite often, it might not simply be one of these things but an accumulated combination of many items over time.
A slow drain can be quite annoying and inconvenient. For example, it can leave you standing ankle-deep in questionable water in the shower and prevent you from properly doing household tasks like the dishes. Homeowners often do not address slow drains immediately, instead opting to work around the problem for a while. This is a mistake because a slow drain can quickly become a full clog if it’s not dealt with in a timely manner.
Clogs
Clogs are likely the number one reason homeowners decide to clean their drains. A full clog can disrupt the usual routine in your household. It can also result in wastewater backup, leading to unpleasant smells and even potential health risks for everyone in your home. If left alone, a clog in one area could affect other parts of the home since the plumbing system all works together. A clog left unfixed could even result in a bursting pipe, which could cause a flood.
It is not uncommon for clogs to be a recurring issue in a home. You might successfully clear a clog, only to find your drain becomes clogged again just a short time later. If this happens to you, it is a sure sign that a complete drain cleaning is needed to ensure the proper function of your plumbing system.
Mold, Mildew, and Bacteria
If you notice an unpleasant smell coming up from your drains, mold, mildew, or bacteria will likely build up inside of it. This build-up is due to food scraps, hair, and other types of organic material getting stuck to the walls of your pipes. Even a small amount can become an ideal breeding ground for mold, mildew, or bacteria to thrive. It can get so prevalent over time that it creates a noxious odor. There could be enough of these contaminants in your drain to cause allergic reactions in your home, exacerbate respiratory issues, and even cause someone in your household to catch a virus. Even if you do not notice a smell, the idea that anything like this can go unseen down their drain influences homeowners to clean their drains periodically.
Prevention
Many homeowners periodically clean their drains as a preventative measure against some of the abovementioned scenarios. Having your drains cleaned keeps them running efficiently and maintains their proper functionality. It also saves you money by preventing issues like clogs from occurring that could necessitate repair. Having clean drains can also improve the quality of the indoor air you breathe. Cleaning your drains as a preventative measure gives added peace of mind that your drainage system works well and is safe for you and your loved ones.
The Best Method of Completely Cleaning Your Drains
As you are likely aware, numerous DIY methods are available to clean your drains. For example, one of the most common methods is combining baking soda, vinegar, and hot water. You can also buy chemical solutions, some of which are unsafe for the environment. While going the DIY route could provide some measure of success, none of these methods will clean your drains completely. In order to accomplish a task like that, you will need a professional plumber with special tools that are not available to the DIY enthusiast.
At Rosenberg Plumbing & Air, we recommend hydro jetting to assure you that your drains are completely clean. Hydro jetting involves a specially trained plumber utilizing a tool that shoots highly pressurized water to remove material from the walls of your pipes. This method is highly effective in thoroughly cleaning drain pipes and is environmentally friendly. However, it should only be done by a professional plumber to prevent damage to your plumbing system.
The Hydro Jetting Process
Before performing a hydro jetting service, your plumber will inspect your pipes, which is done with a drain camera. A drain camera is a tiny, high-definition video camera that is attached to a long, flexible rod, much like a drain snake. The plumber inserts the rod into your pipes using an access point, snaking it through to get a thorough view of what is happening in your pipes. They can view what the camera picks up utilizing a monitor or via an app on their smartphone. The plumber can record videos and take pictures of what they find to be played back for you to help you make the most informed decisions regarding your plumbing.
Once the inspection is complete, the plumber will proceed with hydro jetting. The drain camera allows them to address any issues in your drains with pinpoint accuracy. The water’s velocity is strong enough to remove any mold, mildew, food scraps, or anything else that could be clinging to the walls of your pipes. You are left with clean, clear pipes ready to work at their optimum performance level.
Your San Antonio Drain Cleaning Team
If you are a San Antonio area homeowner who is concerned about clean drains, Rosenberg Plumbing & Air is here to help. We are a customer-centric local company with many testimonials from community members who have been pleased with our exceptional plumbing service over the years. We are wholly dedicated to making sure that your drains are cleaned to your satisfaction quickly and with the utmost care. We treat every customer like a member of our family and each home like it is our own. By putting the needs of our customers first, we have been honored with an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau, and we are the recipient of several prestigious industry awards.
At Rosenberg Plumbing & Air, we are here for all of your home comfort needs by offering a full range of heating, cooling, and indoor air quality services. Call today to schedule your drain cleaning appointment with our team.
Tags: drain cleaning, plumbing