Running Pipes, and More!

Slow and clogged drains are frustrating. Unfortunately, despite their impact on your home, they often feel like relatively minor problems. Homeowners often attempt to solve these issues with various do-it-yourself solutions, but these options may fail to solve the problem or only temporarily restore drain functionality. Sometimes, do-it-yourself options can even make the situation worse.

If you've been dealing with a stubborn clogged drain that seems to keep coming back, here are three reasons your solutions might fail and why a professional drain cleaning can help you resolve this issue permanently.

1. You've Got Fatty Build-Up

Atherosclerosis is a serious health condition where fatty deposits build up on the walls of your arteries, reducing blood flow. Believe it or not, a similar thing can happen in your pipes. Fats and grease can stick to the walls of your plumbing, creating a fatty build-up situation that will reduce the effective diameter of the pipes. Debris can become stuck in these deposits, increasing the likelihood of clogs.

DIY solutions might clear the immediate problem by removing the debris stopping your drains, but the fat and grease will often remain on the walls of the pipes. A professional drain cleaner can use an inspection camera to identify this problem and tools such as hydro jetting machines to scour the walls clean. This approach will permanently solve the problem and keep your drains running freely.

2. The Problem Is Too Deep

Homeowners often misinterpret sewer line issues as clogs closer to the drain. Numerous problems can result in a clogged sewer line, including excessive toilet paper usage and fatty or greasy food waste. Even if your sewer line isn't completely clogged, a restriction may cause your drains to run slowly or result in sewage backing up into your home.

Most DIY tools and solutions are insufficient for reaching sewer line issues. Typical chemical cleaners aren't strong enough to remove these clogs, and only professional augers or snakes have sufficient reach. If you can't make any headway on your clog, you probably need a professional drain cleaner to check for deep sewer line issues.

3. You Have a Solid Obstruction

Many clogs result from food waste, toilet paper, human waste, or other relatively "soft" materials. Sometimes, you can clear these clogs with chemical cleaners, although this solution may damage your plumbing. On the other hand, more solid obstructions can be much more challenging to remove. For example, accidentally flushing a large object down your drain might create a major obstruction.

Unless the object is stuck in a P-trap and easily accessible, removing these obstructions from your plumbing can be challenging. In these cases, you may find that nothing you do is sufficient to clean your drains. Contacting a professional plumber with commercial-grade tools is the best way to remove these solid obstructions. 

Reach out to a drain cleaning service near you to learn more.