The all-important approach for unclogging your drains
The all-important approach for unclogging your drains
Clogging of drains is a common occurrence in most households. There are a number of problems associated with blocked drains and one of them is flooding of your bathtub, sink, shower and toilet. The blockage must be cleared through this build-up of water, and it is likely that the owner of the house will be unable to do so with conventional household chemicals or remedies. At this point of time you might think of taking a professional help but this can cost you a lot. The money that the plumber would charge depends on the extent of blockage, higher the blockage, the higher would be the cost. In case of multiple blocked drains simultaneously at a particular time in your home, the cost will escalate and you will regret for not having inspected your drains before.
But do you know how drains get blocked?.
Carelessness is one main reason for clogged drains. If you fail to use the drain-strainer to prevent food matter and refuse passing into the pipes from the drain, clogging of the kitchen sink’s drainpipe can occur. A buildup of these particles can easily clog the drain. Cooking oils and grease aggravate potential clogs by lining the pipes. People flush too many toilet papers and that is the main reason for clogging in toilet drains.
Blocked toilet drains are also frequently caused by flushing foreign objects down them. A blockage can be caused instantly or over a period of time by objects like sanitary products, baby-wipes and paper towels. Clogging of bathtubs, bathroom sinks and showers occur if your hair is trapped and accumulates in the pipes. Other things like soaps, shampoos, hair gel, toothpaste, etc intensify the clogging problem since they tend to accumulate and build up, thus adding to the block.
However clogging is not always due to things that you put down into the drains. Some common plumbing problems faced are due to crushed drains, rusted pipes, tree roots and scale.
There are a number of rectification methods for a drain clog.
Using chemical products such as acids intended for the task, you can attempt to clear a blocked drain yourself. Use of these products can, in truth, result in damage to your plumbing; it can also impact your personal health and the environment. Luckily, there are also natural methods of clearing drain blockages. Running boiling water through the drains regularly is one natural method available. The use of baking soda and vinegar is an alternative measure that can be taken. For this you should first put some vinegar in the blocked drain and then sprinkle baking soda over it. Before pouring the boiling water over the mixture let it sit in the drain for about 15 minutes to clear the blockage.
It is better to notice things on time so that you can take some measures to prevent the clogging of drains.
The plumbing system works in the same manner as your car or any other machine. Proper examination and prevention is better than facing a blocked drain. You should be alert and watchful about your drainage system and should be be able to inspect it yourself as you are most familiar with how these drains work. In order to truly avoid the hassle and expense of seriously clogged drains you must have all of your household drains inspected on a regular basis by a qualified plumber. To avoid any trouble, get your plumbing technician to snake all the drain lines at least once a year. If case the drain clogs occur regularly there is a need to snake drain lines more than once per annum. Taking a CCTV video scan of the major drain connections should be done at regular intervals.
Prevention of these potential problems can be done by regular inspection of the drains.