The drains in your home are designed to remove liquid waste, but they are often exposed to a wide range of solid and semi-solid waste. The end result is clogging, either partially or completely. If your drains are partially clogged, water flow from the kitchen sink, bathtub or bathroom floor will be slow. If the drains are completely clogged, water will remain in your plumbing fixtures. Robinson Plumbing, who conducts professional drain cleaning in Emmaus PA and surrounding towns, shares some advice on what you should do when you have a clogged drain. It’s not a hard or difficult process. The good news is that cleaning your drains is easy. All you need is a plunger, hot water and some vinegar or baking soda.
How To Clean Your Drains
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The first thing to do is boil a few liters of water and pour some vinegar into the clogged drain. When the water has boiled, pour it into the drain and start plunging using your plunger. The plunging action will dislodge the clogging and clear the drains. If the clogging persists, repeat the same process using baking soda instead of vinegar. The vast majority of drain clogs can be cleared using this method. Unfortunately, there are many mistakes that people make when it comes to drain cleaning. Some of the mistakes they make are serious and can easily cause bigger problems.
Common Mistakes People Make When Cleaning Drains
Sticking Wires Down The Drain
This is a common mistake that people make due to their erroneous belief that sticking a wire down the drain might help clear the clogging. The truth, however, is that sticking a wire, such as a coat hanger, down the drain will not work. In fact, this may damage pipes. Besides, the coat hanger may get stuck, causing a much bigger problem. Furthermore, you risk pushing the materials clogging the drain further down the pipe, where it will be hard to reach. For really tough clogs, be sure to contact a skilled professional plumber. Sometimes there is more to the plumbing issue than you might realize.
Using Caustic Chemicals
There are chemical drain cleaning agents that anyone can get their hands on. When a drain gets clogged, your first instinct would be to pour the drain cleaner into the drain, right? Well, that’s not the best option. First, the caustic chemicals used as drain cleaners cannot get rid of solid objects, such as hair, food items or paper, from the drains. Secondly, careless use can lead to skin burns, which may land you in an emergency room. Thirdly, overusing the chemicals may lead to corrosion of pipes.
Using A Garden Hose
This is common mistake that you might have also made at one time or another. The idea is that the water pressure from the garden hose is enough to clear the clogging. The truth, however, is that solid clogs cannot budge due to water pressure from your garden hose. In fact, this may lead to another problem, a watery mess on the floor, which may lead to water damage if not dealt with urgently.
Poor Use Of A Plunger
In the right hands, a plunger can be the most effective tool for clearing drains. Unfortunately, many people do not know how to use it. For the plunger to work, the seal needs to be intact to ensure the air or water inside the tube is forced down the drain when the plunger is pushed down. Be sure to also use the right plunger; toilet plungers should be used to unclog the toilet, and sink plungers to unclog sinks.
Drain Cleaning Emmaus PA
A clogged drain needs to be addressed immediately. You should never let a clog build and develop into a major issue. Furthermore, sometimes clogs can be caused by other plumbing issues and it is not an easy fix. Sometimes, you will need a drain cleaning to clear a clog. For these types of issues, you will need to contact a professional plumber instead of taking on a DIY plumbing project.
When you have a clogged drain or have any other plumbing concerns, contact Robinson Plumbing. Our experienced and skilled certified plumbers are known for being friendly and professional. We are a local, family owned company that is known for trusted, high quality service.
We service Allentown PA 18101, East Texas PA 18046, Emmaus PA 18049, Limeport PA 18060, Macungie PA 18062, Old Zionsville PA 18068, Zionsville PA 18092, and surrounding areas.
Call us today at (610) 351-9889 or contact us for any questions that you might have!