Mistakes To Avoid While Cleaning The Drain

Drains often get clogged with hair and other miscellaneous debris. This causes the drain to back up, making it difficult for water to drain properly or at all. Cleaning a drain out isn’t too tactical, but it should be done properly. When a drain is improperly cared for, it can bust, become jammed, or begin to leak.

There are some common mistakes that many make when they go to clean out their drain. By recognizing these mistakes and avoiding them, you can refrain from the possibility of costly damage.

Hydro Jetting

People tend to believe that hydro jetting is the key to unclogging a drain. This is the act of adding high water pressure down the drain, usually with a hose. This frequently practiced method can be effective on occasion, but is more than likely only going to make matters worse. Hydro jetting can bust pipes and cause a great deal of damage.

Drain Cleaners

Drain cleaners can be found nearly everywhere. While they are widely available and purchased often by those with clogged drains, they hardly ever work efficiently. Not only are the chemicals dangerous and messy, they cannot possibly remove any solid obstructions within the drain.

Snaking the Drain

Snaking the drain or using a drain auger is another popular form of unclogging, that many homeowners tend to rely on. While the auger may unclog the drain initially, it isn’t actually removing all of the debris or obstruction that caused the drain to jam in the first place. The auger only creates a hole as wide as itself as it is drilled down into the pipes. This leaves the possibility for another blockage in the near future.

Unclogging the Drain Yourself

While you may be trying to avoid the fee for a professional plumber to come in and unclog the drain, you will find that trying to unclog a drain on your own typically leads to further expenses. Not only is it nearly impossible to unclog a drain on your own successfully without the proper tools, but you could easily end up causing a great deal of damage to the pipes. This will only lead you to calling a professional in anyway, and the fee for the job will be higher than it would’ve been for just a clogged drain.

Hiring a professional plumber with experience and tools to get the job done right is always wise. Clogged drains may not be that serious, but when handled improperly, they can lead to a lot more damage. Avoid the most common mistakes made by most homeowners and contact a plumber immediately.