What Is Residential Plumbing?
Residential plumbing is related to the plumbing system you’d expect to see in a common home. Standards and practices can change, but in most principles remain similar year over year. Keep in mind that plumbing problems that are related to residential and commercial can overlap, with issues such as broken toilets or leaking pipes. However, there can be a difference in pipe connections, design, or the cause of the problem that differentiates the work that should be conducted. In addition, depending on the neighbourhood, environment, or the structure of the home, drain system designs can vary which can also lead to different drain cleaning services. Therefore, by knowing a very general blueprint of where your pipes are or their design, you’re well on your way to taking the appropriate steps in clearing blocked drains and conducting maintenance for energy and water conservation.
Where Are the Most Commonly Affected Areas?
The home is made up of many pipelines that are all interconnected. When one area of the system is affected, it’s likely to be a hazard to the other areas in the near future depending on the severity of the damage. The most common areas that are likely to fall victim to clogged drains are the kitchen and the bathroom, the two most used places of the home. However, keep in mind to do checkups on places such as the basement and the laundry room. To give you a better breakdown of exactly what can cause problems below is a list of common plumbing problems that you may find yourself in need of a drain cleaning service or do-it-yourself techniques or products.
Contact A Local Hy-Pro PlumberBathroom
In the bathroom, toilets, showers, and bathtubs can fall victim to a blocked drain. Common plumbing problems associated with these appliances are poor flushing, clogged showerhead, faulty overflow gasket, running water, and backups.
Kitchen
The kitchen houses the dishwasher, garbage disposal, and water filters, all of which can be associated with these common plumbing problems: foul odors, burned motor, a clogged drain, and poor performance.
Laundry Room
The washing machine and dryer can cause problems such as a burst washer drain hose and lint obstructions that can cause more headache than necessary.
Basement
You’re likely to find your sump pump sitting in your basement, preventing your home from flooding. Therefore, when your sump pump fails to work appropriately and effectively, it can flood your basement which can lead to a costly drain cleaning service.
What Are The Warning Signs Of A Clogged Drain?
There are a number of issues that can cause your sewer or drain line to become clogged. To prevent the damages from becoming too costly, if you are noticing any of these signs with any appliance in your home, check out our recommended techniques or products, or call Hy-Pro Plumbing and Drain Cleaning for a free consultation!
Slow Drains
A single slow drain usually means something is caught in the drainpipe and hasn’t evolved into a drastic issue that will need professional drain cleaning services or an experienced drain cleaning plumber. It is likely that only that drain system has been affected. However, this does not mean that this can expand to your other systems. If all of your drains have become significantly slower, it signifies that the problem lies further within your plumbing system.
Gurgling
If you started to hear gurgling noises coming from your toilets, showerheads, or sinks after using any water in your home, especially after using the dishwasher or laundry, you have a general sewer line problem which may or may not be obstructed. If you use any water in the house and it not only causes the toilet to gurgle but water is resurfacing in your bathtub and/or floor drain, it’s a clogged sewer line.
In addition, if you are noticing that all of your drains are operating slowly and your toilet has been gurgling, it is a blocked sewer line that is usually the result of grease or penetration of tree roots.
Sewer Odor
As the blockage becomes more and more severe, you still start to smell sewer gases. These gases will be forced back up the pipes and through the drains. Before sewer odor can occur, you will initially hear the gurgling noises coming from your drains. This indicates that sewer gas is pushing up through the water in the p-trap.
Water Spots
Water spots around basement drains is a key indicator that you are in need of professional drain cleaning services or an experienced drain cleaning plumber. If you are unsure whether it is a sewage problem, check for water spots in your basements. When accompanied by sewage odor, this is a major warning sign that the sewer line has become blocked.
What Are The Benefits Of Regular Drain Maintenance?
Regular maintenance of your drains is an ongoing effort and should not be neglected or overlooked. Like with any good home maintenance habit, it can save you time and money. If anything, kitchen and bathroom drains need to be cleaned on a regular basis plus the occasional check up in the basement and laundry room.
Reduce Blockages
Perhaps the most common benefit to regular drain maintenance is reducing the number of blockages. Small blockages can be frustrating with the water fails to drain as fast as you want it to. However, a serious clog can be extremely concerning and not only damage your home but also your health. Occasional sewer drain cleaning and checkups is never a bad idea to keep the drains free of debris. This will ensure that appliances such as toilets will flush smoothly without overflowing.
Reduce Expenses
Another common benefit to maintaining a drain’s cleanliness is reducing your current and future expenses. This does not strictly refer to clearing blocked drains. Depending on how old your home is, you may have an older drainage system. Older pipes break down easier and are more prone to tree root infestation. As such, when you are looking to invest in a professional drain cleaning plumber, ensure that the individual is also checking the overall health of your pipes. You will naturally assume that with an older home, you will have older pipes. It’s recommended that before purchasing a home that you do a thorough check up as pipe replacement is expensive and frustrating as you are unable to use the pipes in your home for several days.
Clean Home
No one wants to live in an unsanitary home. When your drains are clean, it prevents odors and unnecessary buildup in your sewage line. Basements are a particularly concerning factor as it is an area of the home that may not be frequented often but are easy for them to flood.
Limit Smells
Sewer odor is not only greatly disturbing but also challenging to get rid of. If you are noticing that the p-traps in your home are starting to smell, it’s recommended you invest in a professional drain cleaning plumber. This is the most effective way that your drains will be free of odors.
How Can You Fix A Blocked Drain Yourself?
You’ve tried removing the excess hair and debris built upon the surface of the problematic drain. You’ve tried the plunger and other chemical methods but are unsuccessful in your efforts. Before you call for professional drain cleaning services, there are some great home remedies out there to try yourself for clearing blocked drains. Keep in mind that not all of these methods are guaranteed to work. And while these are common ways of clearing blocked drains, keep an eye out for hazards that may arise. It’s always better to be safe than sorry.
If you’re looking for products that are not harmful to your drain cleaning efforts, check out our product page for more information.
Wire Hanger
As odd as it may sound, a wire hanger can be surprisingly effective in clearing a blocked drain. First, take any wire coat hanger and straighten it out as best as you can. Bend one end over and create a small hook. Push the small hook past the drain cover and start fishing. By using this method, you should be able to get at least hair and other small debris. However, it is easy to push the debris further instead of fishing it out. Once you’ve got as much as you can, run the hot water, and your drains should flow more smoothly now.
Baking Soda And Vinegar
By mixing 1/3 of a cup of baking soda with 1/3 of a cup of vinegar in a measuring cup, you have a nice substance for clearing blocked drains. Once it starts fizzing immediately, pour it down your clogged drain. The reaction will help remove grime, hair, and other debris that has built up in the pipes. Let it sit for one hour or even overnight before flushing with hot water. An alternative method is to get as much dry baking soda down the drain first before pouring the vinegar.
Salt And Baking Soda
By mixing 1/2 a cup of table salt with 1/2 cup of baking soda, pour the substance down the blocked drain and leave it for roughly 10-20 minutes before pouring boiling water. This reaction should produce a powerful chemical reaction that should dissolve a really nasty blockage.
Dish Detergent
For this method, you will need 1/4 of dish detergent, boiling water, and your plunger. First, pour 1/4 cup of dish detergent in the bowl and boil some water. The dish detergent will act as a lubricant and help break greasy residue. Next, pour the hot water down and start plunging. If the plunger isn’t doing its job, it may be time to grab some rubber gloves.
Boiling Water
It doesn’t get any easier than this. Boil as much water as it can hold and pour it slowly down the drain in two to three stages. The hot water will work for several seconds in between each pour. This is the easiest and quickest way to clearing blocked drains.
What Are The Benefits Of Professional Drain Cleaning Services?
Investing in a professional drain cleaning service provides three primary advantages to any homeowner.
- Effectiveness
- Drain System Longevity
- Guaranteed Safety
With an effective drain cleaning plumber, you will have access to equipment that will identify the root of the problem and clean your drains in a timely manner. At Hy-Pro Plumbing and Drain Cleaning, we are trained to deliver a tailored and unique service experience. We treat you and your home with respect and ensure that you are just as knowledgeable about your plumbing issue as much as we are. We take the time to educate you on every step so you know the details on what is happening with your system.
By taking you through a thorough an analysis of the problem, what equipment we will need to use, and future prevention methods, we want you to get the best and most out of your drain cleaning service experience. Contact Hy-Pro Plumbing and Drain Cleaning for a quick and free consultation or get started with us today!
