Drains and toilets clogged are an everyday occurrence in the home. You should consider hiring a professional to unclog your toilet, sink or shower if you want to avoid the mess. You can benefit from the expertise of a drain cleaner, as well as their drain-safe tools and peace of mind.
Why should you hire a professional technician to clean your drains?
It is best to leave drain cleaning and clog removal to professionals.
#1. The best home remedies won’t work for the toughest clogs
Most home remedies for clearing clogs don’t work. Clogs can be more stubborn than they appear. Here are some of the most common drain cleaning methods and their limitations:
Hot Water and Dish Soap
PVC pipes can be a problem because they are not designed to handle boiling hot water. Temperatures above 140 degrees can damage PVC and glue near the sink trap. You’ll need to heat the water, but not too much. Then you will have to hope that the heat is retained by the time the water reaches the clog. This is a long-shot, and it assumes that the grease is causing the problem.
Coat hanger
Some people use a coat hanger wire to reach down into the drain of their shower and remove hair that has become trapped. First, the wire coat hanger may not be long or flexible enough to reach the clog. This will remove some hair but not all. Soon you’ll be back to square one.
Baking Soda and Vinegar
This home remedy also calls for pouring boiling water down the drain first. However, PVC pipes are not compatible with this method. Baking soda and vinegar can clear mild, weak clogs, but they are unlikely to have a significant impact on a deeper, more stubborn clog.
#2. We have the right tools for the job
Most homeowners don’t have the same tools as a plumber. These are the tools we use to clear drains and pipes of all kinds of blockages.
Plungers
Each American home has a toilet plunging tool. Plumbers carry several plungers, each with a different size and shape. A typical plunger is effective for sinks and drains but a ball-shaped plunger can create better pressure on toilets.
Sink Auger
This is a special tool that plumbers use for clearing clogs in sinks and showers. The auger is equipped with a steel cable. The auger has a steel cord. The cord pushes through and into clogs as it snakes around bends and into the drain.
Snake Tools
For clearing clogs, our plumbers have a variety of snake tools. The type of clog dictates which snake tool is used. Snake tools with hooks and barbs, for example, are more effective at clearing shower drains. They can collect hair that the plumber will then remove from the pipe.
Endoscopic “Snake Camera”
This is a snake tool with a small digital camera and a light on the end. We will go over it in more detail shortly. This is used by plumbers to look into pipes. They feed the snake down the drain, and then watch its journey on a small monitor.
Water Jets
High-pressure water jets are not always needed, but they can be used for stubborn, deep clogs. The water jet is a better alternative to chemical solutions because it does not damage the pipes or plumbing. Water jets are often used by our plumbers to clear major sewer blockages.
#3. The chemicals you buy at the store may not always work
You can find many different drain cleaners at your local hardware store. These chemicals are often used by homeowners instead of calling a plumber. However, there are some drawbacks.
- Ineffectiveness Most of these drain cleaners aren’t powerful enough to remove a stubborn blockage deep inside your pipes. Even when they do break through the blockage, they don’t always clear it completely. This sets up future clogs.
- Pipe damage: Do not use drain cleaners that contain hydrochloric or sulfuric acids. These acids can work to remove the clog but can also cause damage to your pipes, sinks, garbage disposals, and anything else they come into contact with. According to The New York Times even drain cleaners that claim they will not damage pipes can cause some damage.
- Storage Many homeowners have good reason to be nervous about keeping drain cleaners around their home. These products can be dangerous, particularly if they are accidentally consumed by pets or children. Keep drain cleaning products elevated, out of the way, in a dark, cool place.
- Safety Before using these drain cleaners you should clear the area surrounding the drain. Wear plastic gloves and protective eyewear, preferably those that cover your wrists. Dispose of the plastic bottle according to local regulations.
Our professionals will only use chemicals to clear a blockage as a final resort. We can usually clear the clog using a plunger or our snake tools.
#4. You have no idea what lies below the surface
Each clog is unique. Shower clogs are often caused by hair that has accumulated deep in the drain. Kitchen sink clogs may be caused by food waste or grease solidified. The type of clog will determine how to handle it. Our plumbers will use a plunger on a toilet or sink to try to remove the clog. However, a snake tool is needed to grab and then remove hair trapped in shower drains. You may also know exactly what is down your drain and want it back. Jewelry such as wedding rings and earrings are often accidentally flushed down the drain. You’ll want the assistance of a professional plumber for this: our team has specialized drain endoscopes–basically, cameras attached to a snake tool–that allow us to look down into the drain and find lost items. Then, we can use other snake-tools to remove the item without damaging or pushing it deeper into the pipe.
#5. Drains clogged with debris could be a sign of other problems
The tip of the iceberg could be a clogged toilet, sink, or shower drain. You may be experiencing a sewer line blockage in your home. A blocked sewer line can be detected by:
- The drains of your house are all clogged at the same time.
- Back-ups are most likely to occur in the lowest drains of the house, such as the shower or bathtub drain.
You should stop the water flow, shut off the water to your house, and contact our 24/7 emergency team. Sewer line blockages can be a serious problem for any home. They could cause a backup of sewer. The clog will not be removed by clearing just one pipe. Clogs in sewer lines are usually much deeper. It’s not uncommon for the process of clearing the clog, which may include adding water, flushing the toilet or adding liquid drain cleaning, to exacerbate the problem.
We are your local trusted plumbers at Trenchless pipe Repair
Call us if you want to hire a professional drain cleaner for your home. Our technicians are available 24/7 and can be quickly dispatched to your home to remove the blockage and restore your bathroom or kitchen to its original condition.
