You should schedule professional cleanings for your drains yearly even if they don't appear to need it and aren't blocked. In addition to annual professional cleaning for drains, maintain your drains weekly and monthly by performing certain care tasks.
Most people don't think about their drain maintenance until there's a major issue. Don't be one of these people: your best bet is to give your drains regular cleaning once a week.
Regular drain cleaning is essential for maintaining the health of your drains and preventing major clogs from occurring, so make sure to get it done at least once every year or whenever you start noticing any of the warning signs mentioned above.
Fats, Oils and Grease. These are the three most infamous kitchen sink cloggers out there. Unfortunately, they're also the most common. The problem is, these substances are all perfectly suited to clogging drains.
A stopped-up drain. It'll inevitably happen with any home plumbing system and your kitchen sink is no exception. That clog won't go away on its own and will require immediate attention to keep any standing water from rising.
Unclog Pipes Before They Crack or Burst
But did you know that a clogged drain can cause a pipe to burst as well? Leaving a clog unattended can lead to increased pressure inside pipes, which can then crack or burst. This is a messy and often expensive problem that can cause significant damage to your plumbing and home.
If there's significant blockage in your pipes, then the water backs up. It's only a matter of time before that backed up water becomes a problem. Without addressing the problem of a clogged drain, flooding is bound to happen.
A major cause of clogged drains is mineral build-up in the system. For systems with hard water, mineral build-up can be an extremely costly problem. Over time the minerals found in hard water build up in your pipes, resulting in reduced water pressure, sluggish flow, and clogged pipes.
Pour one cup of fresh baking soda down the drain, followed by one cup of white vinegar. Place a rubber stopper or other sink hole cover over the drain opening. Wait 15 minutes to allow the vinegar and baking soda to unclog your drain, Then take out the drain cover and run hot tap water down the drain to clear the clog.
To prevent backups, add Drano® Max Build-Up Remover to your monthly routine. One flush once a month can help prevent septic backups!
On average, expect to pay anywhere between $125 to $225 to have your kitchen sink or bathroom drains snaked, with the average being $175.
For a bathroom sink drain, you should be fine using a top snake unless it is a particularly tough clog. Wear appropriate gloves. Insert the end of the snake cable into the drain pipe.
A clogged sink or toilet is not an emergency. However, it is a maintenance emergency if the whole plumbing system is clogged.
In modern houses some of the drain pipes are PVC plastic, and usually the boiling water will just flow through it without causing any damage. But if it goes through the pipe slowly the PVC could the deform.
For an easy clog, your plumber may get the job done in mere minutes. For a more stubborn or deep-seated clog, the process may take multiple hours. If you're dealing with a stubborn household clog, it may be time for you to enlist a professional plumbing company to come help.
For the toughest of clogs, a plumber may use a hydro jet. This tool sends pressured water through pipes to break down drain build-up. This tool is often faster and more efficient than a typical drain snake. Hydro jets get rid of the clog, but they're also effective for cleaning drains.
In most cases, the clog is located in the trap or pipe leading away from the “last” non-working fixture.
First, make sure there is no water in the sink. Pour one cup of baking soda followed by one cup of table salt, and then pour a cup of white vinegar. Wait for ten minutes and then flush it with boiling water. After that, the drain should be clear!
When your pipes are clogged, Drano will sit on top of the clog, continually reacting and generating heat until the clog dissolves. This can put a great deal of stress on your drains as the heat can cause PVC pipes to soften and even break or collapse.
When you are using a baking soda and vinegar solution to clean out your drain, you are actually causing the rubber and plastic that are used for the drain's pipes to be eaten away by the mixture. Over time, this rubber and plastic will break down, causing the drain to become even more blocked.
Using a snake is also more invasive and time-consuming than using a chemical cleaner is, and can often become a dirty job. When it comes to getting at and removing major clogs or clogs that are deep down in your pipes, however, a plumber's snake is your best bet.
Pouring boiling water is quite risky as it might lead to a steam burn or scalding. Another thing to keep in mind is what type of material you are pouring in into. If you have a porcelain sink, it is likely to crack due to the heat. All in all, pouring boiling water down your drain will only cause issues down the road.