As a homeowner, you should consider your house a significant investment, and it comes with several responsibilities. There are many factors to consider if you want your home to stay in top shape for years to come. Plumbing is one of them. It’s an essential system as it brings water into your home. As such, it requires proper care and regular maintenance to ensure everything stays functional and safe for your family.
The advancements in modern plumbing effectively eliminated potential safety hazards and improved comfort. Once you encounter any issues with the plumbing, it can result in various issues. One of the most common plumbing problems many homeowners face is drain cleaning. Although you can try out several measures to deal with drain blockage, there are instances when you might need efficient drain cleaning services in Chantilly.
If you want to tackle the drain cleaning task effectively, here are several drain cleaning tips for homeowners to make the chore more manageable.
- Watch What Goes Down The Drains
Among the drain cleaning tips for homeowners, prevention should be the priority so issues won’t happen in the first place. As a homeowner, you can save time, money, and hassle by watching what you put down the drain.
Generally, the drains in your home are responsible for removing wastewater. Other materials such as plastic, grease, hair, cleaning wipes, food debris, and chemicals should never go down the drain. Doing so will minimize the risk of obstruction developing in the pipes. Remember that if you allow these items to go down the drain, they’ll end up stuck in the pipes and eventually allow debris accumulation. Over time, it can result in serious blockage and damage to the pipes.
- Avoid Using Drain Cleaners
Once you suspect a blockage in the drain, most homeowners will instantly reach for a liquid drain cleaner. Unfortunately, it’s a common mistake you should refrain from making.
Liquid drain cleaners aren’t effective in eliminating any clogs in the drains. Remember that the product typically contains various chemicals that can seriously damage the pipes. Additionally, liquid drain cleaners are toxic, making them dangerous if you fail to handle them properly.
- Use The Right Plunger
If you’re facing a clogged drain, you need to use the right plunger. A plunger is very useful in getting rid of blockages from drains safely and efficiently. Although you can readily find one in the market, you need to pay attention to the type of plunger you have. The most common are cup plungers, which work best for flat drains such as sinks. On the other hand, a flange plunger is meant for toilets. Consider having one type of plunger to apply the appropriate suction to a clogged drain. When you use the right one, it can help prevent an unhygienic mess from developing.
- Pour Hot Water Down The Drain
Hot water might come in handy in unblocking and cleaning a drain. It’s best to pour hot water for a few minutes to flush away any loose debris.
The introduction of hot water also helps melt away any lingering soap scum and other types of debris in the pipes. When you flush out any leftover debris, hair, or soap scum, it’ll help prevent another clog from developing soon.
- Try Using A Snake
If using a plunger couldn’t provide you with the best results, you might want to give a snake a try.
A snake is an elongated, slender rod that you’ll introduce into a clogged drain and get rid of any debris. Remember to avoid using a snake as much as possible to unclog the drain since using it repeatedly can result in pipe damage. After loosening the blockage, use a plunger again.
- Deal With A Stinky Drain
A stinky drain might also be an issue some homeowners face. The undesirable odor might be due to a dried trap or the accumulation of debris and bacteria in the garbage disposal.
Generally, a dry trap typically occurs in bathrooms that aren’t often used. As the trap begins to dry out, the protective water barrier responsible for preventing the sewer gas from moving back up the pipe is no longer present. Whenever this happens, you can remedy it by pouring water down the drain.
If the odor is due to garbage disposal, consider adding ice cubes. It works by dealing with any build-up on the blades. To eliminate the odor, don’t forget to pour some hot water, baking soda, or lemon peel.
Final Thoughts
A clog in the drain is one of the most common issues homeowners will face at some point. If you’re currently facing one, don’t lose hope since there are several remedies you can try to clean and unclog a drain. Now that you’re familiar with these useful drain cleaning tips for homeowners, you can readily deal with any blockage that might develop and ensure that you can clean your drains efficiently.
