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One of the reasons some homeowners keep a maintenance plan is because things change slowly in a house. The roof can take decades to need replacement unless a storm hits, electrical wiring tends to stay stable over quite a while, and plumbing just carries water in and wastes out without complaint for years as well. Without thinking about how homes age and when they need care, problems can sneak up on you. At Metro Plumbing, Heating and Air, we know Chattanooga, TN homes and how they age, and we can help our customers stay ahead of major trouble. One way we do that for many clients is by providing a regular drain cleaning service.
Noticing Drain Trouble a Bit Earlier Than at the Point of Disaster
How do you know when your drains have trouble? Probably either when they stop flowing or back up, or perhaps when they get slow enough that it seems abnormal. All the gradual slowing of your drains before that goes unnoticed unless you run tests to see if the drain can keep up with a given volume of water flowing through. Unfortunately, as the drain gradually slows, that’s a sign not only of possible problems below the sink but anywhere else in your house between the sink and the sewer. Usually, it’s hair and grease or similar material in the P-trap or pipe below the sink, but over time the accumulation of matter in the pipes can lead to partial or even full clogs between floors or further down. As the flow slows through these narrowing spaces, the ability of flushing and running the faucet to push material quickly down to the sewer becomes more limited, and clogs are more likely to form. A periodic drain cleaning service can clear the system back to clear flowing pipes.
Pipes Themselves Can Contribute to Drain Problems
The way pipes are run, with angles and level runs slowing the speed of water and material flowing through the drains, can affect how clean the drains stay. Further deposits and clogs may accumulate when the flow slows further due to narrowing of the pipes from deposits or corrosion. Cast iron and certain other types of pipes can corrode and release material that joins other deposits in thickening the pipe walls, and even when clean, corroded pipe walls are rough and will accumulate matter flowing through that would otherwise slip past on smooth pipe walls. As pipes corrode, they have an increased risk of leaking and bursting as well. In Chattanooga, TN, it can be helpful to add a water softener unit to your home’s water supply to reduce the risk of corrosion.
Plumbing Technology Helps Guide Drain Maintenance with Video
As part of drain cleaning, technicians and plumbers will often use miniature video inspection probes to locate and identify clogs and determine if the pipe walls are thickening due to deposits. These images can also reveal the state of the pipes, whether it’s corrosion of cast iron ones, or decay of certain plastic types.
How the Plumber Uses Video Information to Provide Effective Services
Whole-house drain cleaning allows the plumber to become familiar with the state of drain pipes throughout the home. This provides information for planning maintenance in the future if the drain or sewer pipes are not in good shape.
When Things Go Wrong in Drains, the Damage to Your House Can Be Costly
Sinks overflowing and toilets backing up can make a mess that’s difficult and expensive to repair. Water damage to floors and walls is one thing, but when it seeps into spaces that are hard to reach and don’t get much ventilation, the potential growth of mold and other damage possibilities can lead to tearing out damaged materials and remodeling. If the water is from the toilet, the concerns are doubled by sanitary issues, and cleanup becomes even more complicated.
What Does Drain Cleaning Service Involve?
Targeted drain cleaning service in response to slow or stopped drains that are clearly about to lead to emergency plumbing calls are focused on the plumbing directly related to the drain. If clearing the drain doesn’t provide good flow, the drain cleaning service technician will clean further along in the plumbing. They will often use video inspection to identify any specific clogs along the way. For annual whole-house drain cleaning, the plumber clears clogs and cleans drain lines using a variety of techniques from augers and other localized techniques, especially when objects are present, to hydro-jet techniques that clean out the pipes right back to their walls, giving you a fresh start in your drains that should last for some time, depending on the pipe condition.
How the Plumber Makes a Plan for Your Home’s Drain Cleaning
The plumber performing your drain cleaning service will customize the plan to meet your home’s specific needs, based on reports and observations of trouble, flow analyses, and video inspection. One advantage of being a long-term local plumber is that we know local houses and what they tend to need from us. We’ll also consider your home’s type and age and whether it has received any major plumbing renovation. In some cases, drain cleaning service will have to consider the condition of the pipes, especially if there’s corrosion in iron or galvanized pipes, or decay in old plastic or PVC pipes. This may limit the equipment that we can use, such as high pressure sprays, and also lead us to recommend that you consider pipe replacement both for drain care and to avoid pipe leaks and greater damage.
Metro Plumbing, Heating and Air Is Your Drain Cleaning Service Resource
We serve the Chattanooga, TN area with drain cleaning service and general plumbing services to keep your home free of water and sewer issues through prevention whenever possible. Our team uses their experience and skill to make your life easier. We look forward to your call with questions or to schedule a visit from our experts.
