Drain Cleaning Philadelphia may not be at the top of your to-do list, but it’s essential to prevent clogs and other problems. Using an at-home mixture of baking soda and vinegar can keep your pipes clean for a fraction of the price and danger of commercial drain cleaners.
Regular drain cleaning also helps to prevent bacterial, mold, and mildew growth that can affect your family’s health. Here are five benefits of having your drains cleaned regularly:
Clogged drains are a common household issue. They can lead to water and waste buildup in your home, as well as cause serious problems for your plumbing system. Backed-up drains can also introduce bacteria and other microorganisms into your home, which poses a health risk for you and your family. If you notice your sink, tub, or toilet draining slowly or not at all, it’s time to call in the pros.
Hair and soap scum can build up in your drains over time, creating a blockage that prevents water from flowing through the pipe. Using a drain brush and a strong stream of hot water can help to clear away this buildup.
Grease waste, including the leftovers from cooking, is another common reason for blocked drains. This fatty substance can stick to the inside of your pipes and, over time, will build up until it stops water from flowing. A clogged kitchen drain is also a fire hazard, as it can catch flammable items like paper towels and napkins.
Foreign objects dropped into drains can also lead to blockages. From baby wipes to toys, food scraps, sanitary items, and electronics, these materials can all be washed down the drain and end up blocking your pipes and drainage system. If you have children, make sure they know not to drop any objects into the toilet or sink.
Hard water may also clog your pipes due to mineral buildup. Investing in a water softener can help reduce these issues, as can regularly clearing out your drains and pipes to remove sediment buildup.
When simple solutions don’t work, a plastic drain cleaning tool can be a lifesaver. These 24-inch to 36-inch strips have barbs that can grab ahold of clogs and pull them out the way they went in. You can also try an untwisted wire hanger with a hook at the end, which you can feed down the drain and jiggle to hook the clog before pulling it out. For a more powerful and hands-free solution, you can use a power auger. Plug in the motor and position it close to the clogged drain. Switch the motor to the reverse direction and feed a few feet of cable down the drain. Once the clog has been removed, switch back to clockwise rotation and pull out the cable.
Bad Smells
If your drain smells like rotten eggs or worse, you may have a clog in your plumbing system. Food, soap scum, hair, grease, and other debris can become trapped in your pipes, creating an environment that allows bacteria to grow. This gunk clogs your drain, forcing bad odors back into your home.
The good news is that bad smells are often the result of a simple fix. You can get rid of smelly drains by flushing the drain with boiling hot water. This method works well for small clogs and can help you determine whether the problem is in your shower or your sewer line.
In addition to removing bad odors, this method can also clear greasy buildup from your drain. A mixture of baking soda and lemon juice can also do the trick. Pour a cup of each down your drain, plug the drain, and wait an hour. Then, run hot water down the drain to flush out the mixture and any remaining clogs.
Kitchen drains can smell from food scraps that have been pushed down the sink without being properly disposed of. The rotting food sticks to the sides of your drain pipe and creates a biofilm that causes a foul odor. You can try to clean your drains by unscrewing the trap cover and using a paint roller to roll off the biofilm. You can also try pouring boiling hot water down the drain to rinse it out.
Shower and bathtub drains can also smell from a dried P-trap or a blocked or clogged shower or tub. A dry P-trap lets yucky sewer gases seep into your home. You can fill a dry P-trap by running water down the drain for several minutes or by pouring boiling hot water down the drain.
If a bad smell persists, it may be time to call in a professional plumber. Chemical drain cleaners can damage your pipes and aren’t as effective as homemade remedies such as boiling water or vinegar. Professionals can use tools such as drain snakes to remove even the most stubborn clogs.
Damaged Pipes
If left untreated, a burst pipe can cause serious damage to your property and personal belongings. It can also lead to costly water bills and structural damage to your building. Fortunately, if you act quickly, you can limit the damage and prevent further problems. The first step is to turn off the water supply. Typically, you can find the water shutoff valve near your meter (outside) or in your basement or utility room.
Once the water is turned off, the next step is to clear any standing water. You can use buckets, old towels, or mops to remove the water and dry out the affected areas. Ideally, you should also use a dehumidifier to help reduce moisture levels in the area.
In addition to removing standing water, you should also try to identify the source of the problem. If you can’t locate the leak, it’s a good idea to hire a plumbing service to help. They will be able to track down the leak and fix it.
While the most common causes of burst pipes are old age and extreme weather, there are other factors that can contribute to them as well. For example, if you recently had your home remodeled, it’s possible that one of the pipes was damaged during construction. Also, cold temperatures can cause the water inside your pipes to freeze and burst.
Having your drains cleaned regularly can help prevent these issues from occurring. Instead of using harsh commercial cleaners, which can corrode your pipes and lead to them breaking down, you should opt for professional drain cleaning services. They can clean your pipes without damaging them, and they can remove clogs in a safe manner.
Another way to protect your pipes is to ensure that you don’t put anything down the drains that shouldn’t be there. For example, putting food scraps in the garbage disposal or stringy vegetables like celery and carrots can create clogs. In addition, you should always run the kitchen sink with hot water after using it to remove any food waste. Finally, you should also avoid flushing items that aren’t meant to go down the toilet.
Mold
Mold can grow in drains as well as throughout the home. It loves moist environments, and the nooks and crannies of sink drains are the perfect place for it to grow. In addition to smelling bad, mold in your sink drain can lead to clogs and water damage. It can also be dangerous for your health, especially if you have asthma or allergies. The best way to get rid of mold in your sink drain is to use homemade methods instead of chemical-based drain cleaners.
First, remove any clogs and clean out the sink drain. You can do this with a pipe snake or by hand, depending on what caused the clog. Next, use a combination of boiling water and baking soda to remove any existing mold. Finally, rinse out the pipes with hot water to prevent mold from growing in the future.
You can purchase enzyme-based drain cleaners that kill bacteria and fungus safely. However, they can be more expensive than the home remedies we recommend. For instance, you can make a mixture of baking soda and vinegar to clean your drain. Simply pour a cup of vinegar or hydrogen peroxide down your drain and add half a cup of baking soda. The mixture will foam, kill mold, deodorize, and unclog your drain in about 15 minutes. Then, flush it with hot water. Repeat this process on a monthly basis to keep your sink drain clean.
Black sludge around a drain or on your kitchen floor can be a sign of a serious problem. It may indicate that your drain is clogged or that sewer gases are seeping into your home. In either case, it is important to take care of the issue promptly to avoid potential health problems.
Getting rid of this gunk is not difficult, but you will need to wear rubber gloves and a face mask to protect yourself from the toxic sludge. You can try to scour the area with a scrub brush and standard disinfecting bathroom cleaner. However, if the mold is heavy or it is on a non-smooth surface, you may need to hire a professional cleaner.
