Among many other things that homeowners dread hearing and having to deal with is the news that “The water is not going down the drain.” In that moment, you frown and get a sudden rush of panic running through your mind and body. Questions like what caused the drain to get clogged and which drain cleaning service in Chattanooga, TN should you hire take over all other worries and tasks you were thinking to finish.
Ugh, the drain is going to be moist, slimy, smelly, and what not. Cleaning it will not be an easy job at all. But what brought it to this and is making you consider hiring a plumber in Chattanooga, TN?
Clogged drains are just another routine plumbing problem that homeowners face. But the best part is that the problem can be prevented and even resolved as easily as other issues that you would call a plumber in Chattanooga, TN for.
Let’s read through common causes of clogged drains in homes and their possible solutions.
1. Things that are sent down the drain
While it is commonly the dirt, debris, skin flakes, and hair droppings that result in a clogged drain, anything that you intentionally or unintentionally send down there can bring you to this issue. Whatever is sent down the drain further expands and ultimately results in reduced water flow through the drain.
Solution
You can first try to resolve the problem on a DIY basis. What you need to do is remove the drain stopper and clean it thoroughly. Once done, use the drain plunger to unblock the drain and regain the actual water flow through it. If this does not work, try taking out the drain elbow joint and cleaning it. The drain stoppers should be cleaned thoroughly and regularly to prevent clogs in the first place. Also, introduce other preventive measures like using a hair strainer drain cover so that any hair that can potentially go down the drain get caught. If either of the above doesn’t solve the issue for you, its time you connect with a professional plumber in Chattanooga, TN before the problem worsens further.
2. Other items people prefer sending to the drain
Any items that are solid, expandable, and/or break apart in water can be the reason behind your clogged drain. These commonly include:
- Cotton-tipped swabs
- Feminine hygiene products
- Pre-moistened diaper wipes
- Dental floss
Solution
Again, the plunger is your frontline soldier against drain clogs. Use the plunger and an low-cost manual drain auger to clean the drain. But what is in your best interest is hiring a professional drain cleaning service in Chattanooga, TN to ensure the problem is resolved completely. The professionals will even guide you on how you can prevent drain clogs in the future.
For now, as a rule of thumb, you must remember not to hurl anything down the drain except putting in waste and paper that are fully water-soluble. Another thing you can do to prevent clogging is cleaning the drain regularly to ensure a smooth flow of water.
3. Oil and other greasy substance
The drains in your kitchen’s sink get clogged up oil or other greasy substance is sent into the drain. These greasy substances accumulate on the walls of the drain, cake up, and ultimately contribute to an interrupted flow of water through the drain. It will only take you a handful of sticky and expandable items like oil and rice to get your drain badly clogged.
Solution
To begin with, you can try sending hot water down the drain just like you treat your kitchen sink for clogs. Hot water is likely to soften the caked up substance that is blocking your drain. Don’t forget to add a blob of detergent as hot water flows through the drain and let it flow for a couple of minutes after you have added detergent. Wait for like 3-5 minutes and then use a plunger to remove clogs while hot water runs through. If you still don’t succeed, its time you call a professional for emergency plumbing repair in Chattanooga, TN
Here the best practice for you is to not throw anything greasy and/or expandable into the drain. This will not only save you from having to deal with clogs but also keep several other drain-related problems away.
4. Recurrence of clogged drains
If you feel you have a lasting clogging issue, the problem could be something different. And if this really is the case, you must hire a qualified drain cleaning service in Chattanooga, TN. The experts that come to your service will analyze the drain’s condition and see if the drain line was properly set up and installed in the house. Sometimes it is not what you do but how and who from you actually get things installed in the very start that result in problems in the future. The same could be the case with your drain and the recurring clogging problems.
Solution
The drain cleaning service in Chattanooga, TN you hire will first ensure if this really is the issue or is it something in the drain that is causing the problem again and again. There is a possibility of birds making their nests on your roof around the opening of the drain or other external objects getting into the pipe to form clogs. One this is certain, the professionals will introduce relevant solutions and ensure that the problem doesn’t recur.
As for the prevention, you must not refrain from hiring qualified and renowned plumbers in Chattanooga, TN for installations as such just to save a few pennies presently. Such savings result in even bigger costs and emergencies in the future and so you don’t benefit from them at all.
Do you think you are facing one or more of the problems discussed above? If yes, try the DIY solutions that have been detailed and in case there is no luck, connect with the experts at Metro Plumbing in the region. Regardless of what the problem might be, the technicians are trained to deal with and resolve everything when it comes to residential plumbing issues.