How Do Professional Plumbers Unclog Drains

When water drainage starts to slow, a noxious smell begins emanating from every room with a drain, and flushing has become less than effective, it can be intimidating to most homeowners, not to mention the disruption to the working flow of the household.

There are DIY troubleshooting steps you can attempt to unclog the drain, but if signs of a clog have become obvious the problem has likely escalated beyond DIY. But what can you expect when the plumber arrives?

When many think of “drain cleaning” they think of harsh, typically hazardous, chemicals and cringe (for good reason). Rest assured, professional plumbers are aware these chemicals can lead to long-term damage to your system, and release harmful gasses. The experts at Four Seasons Plumbing always leave your Fletcher and Weaverville, NC drains in better shape than they found them.

To effectively diagnose the problem many plumbers will feed a small video camera into your pipes, sending the images to the plumber’s monitor as it goes, allowing him to target problem areas and determine how much and what type of cleaning is needed. This furthers the client’s confidence in the plumber because they are also seeing the problem areas, rather than simply being told. Sewer Camera Inspection Services will likely be done again after the clog is cleared, and is included free with your drain cleaning service in Fletcher and Weaverville, NC

If the issue appears to be minor your plumber will use a motorized drain auger, commonly referred to as a snake. It is like the manual drain snake consumers can pick up at their local hardware store for minor DIY jobs. The long metal coil is fed into the drain. When it encounters the clog, the motor rotates the coil, drilling it into the clog and breaking it up. It may take a few passes down the pipes for the auger to eliminate the obstruction. You may see tree roots, grease, waste, and other solids wrapped around the coil when it is removed. This is proof the auger is doing its job and removing the debris. It is not advised to attempt this on your own as motorized augers under inappropriate handling can cause damage to pipes.

A hydro-jetter is one of the main tools professional plumbers have in their toolbelt. It is also motorized, placing water under high pressure of up to 5000 psi. The nozzle is inserted into the pipe. When the water is blasted in at such a high pressure, most lingering debris – grease, hair, food, will be dislodged and flushed out of the pipe, leaving them so clean it will prolong the interval between needed cleanings. Keep in mind, even 2000 psi is extremely powerful and can cause damage and injury, therefore leave their use to the trained professionals.

Some preventative measures can go a long way in prolonging the time between needed cleanouts, like adding enzymes monthly, avoiding harsh chemicals, pouring baking soda mixed with vinegar in your drains, flushing the toilets with extremely hot water once a week, and sticking to the rule of only water, biological waste, and septic-safe toilet paper flushed down the toilet.

Build-up over time is inevitable, however, and a professional plumber will be the best solution for the job. Your Four Seasons Plumber will have all the tools in their arsenal for even the toughest clogs, along with the training to avoid any damage to your pipes.