Learn How to Clean Drains at Home

Clogged drains are a frequent issue during both the busy summer months and the winter holiday season. Knowing how to properly clean drains in your home can save you from major headaches down the road.

Common Signs of a Clogged Drain

Many homeowners do not realize the difference between clearing a clogged drain and drain cleaning. Before diving into drain cleanings, it is important to recognize when your plumbing system is struggling. Identifying these early warning signs can prevent potential long-term plumbing problems:

· Slow Drainage: Water pooling in your sink, shower, or tub instead of flowing away quickly.

· Gurgling Noises: Unusual sounds coming from your pipes, often indicating trapped air caused by a blockage.

· Unpleasant Odors: Persistent foul smells emanating from your drains, typically caused by rotting food, organic matter, or dry and broken p-traps.

· Frequent Backups: Recurring clogs in the same drain or multiple drains throughout the house.

If left unaddressed, these issues could lead to persistent leaks, structural water damage, and even burst drains, making regular home drain cleaning essential. Importantly, when the signs of a clogged drain emerge, homeowners should know there is a significant difference between clearing a clog and drain cleaning.

· Drain Clearing: This is a common DIY activity that simply restores water flow through a blockage. Using a plunger or a snake to clear a clog in the garbage disposal is a typical example. While common chemical cleaners may also clear a drain, they can potentially damage your pipes over time.

· Drain Cleaning: Professional cleaning drains involves a deep, comprehensive scouring of the pipe walls to remove years of accumulated grease, hair, and mineral buildup. This preventative approach is the best way to ensure you truly have clean drains and avoid recurring emergency situations.

What is drain clearing?

Clearing a clogged drain is a common DIY activity that simply allows the flow of water through a blockage. For example, using a snake or plunger clear clogs in the drain or garbage disposal. Plus, common drain cleaners simply clear the drain (in addition to potentially damaging your pipes). To help, please find a few DIY tips for clearing a clog in the garbage disposal.

Check the garbage disposal.

· First, when working on the disposal (or any appliance plugged into an outlet), turn the unit off and unplug it from the electric source.

· Then, attempt to clear the clog by turning the blades manually with an Allen wrench (there should be a hole at the bottom of the disposal).

Of note, this possibly requires several rotations to unjam. If you put your hand down and feel for large hard objects, this helps identify the object jamming the blades. However, proceed with caution as turning the blades manually helps dislodge items, which require hand removal.

· After removing any large items by hand and ensuring the blade spins freely, plug in the disposal and turn it on.

Plunge.

· To unclog the drain, attempt to remove the substance that is causing the backup using a plunger.

· To plunge correctly, partially fill the sink with water and work the plunger up/down to break up the clog.

· Remove waste as it comes into the sink and focus on the upstroke - catch the waste before it goes back down the drain.

Do not plunge the sink if you tried a commercial drain cleaner. Allow the drain cleaner to work through the sink because the chemicals are dangerous if they touch your skin while plunging the sink. In general, using chemicals can do more harm than good on the drain pipes. We highly recommend not using drain cleaner!

What is drain cleaning?

Cleaning a drain goes beyond simply clearing a drain. Drain cleaning utilizes a high pressure jet machine that completely removes a blockage. Also, professional grade drain cleaning services leverage video equipment, which identifies underlying drain issues that caused the blockage. Additionally, drain cleaning eliminates buildup of certain materials within your pipes such as:

· soap scum.

· mineral deposits.

· hair.

Finally, drain cleaning offers a longer lasting (while drain clearing provides quick, but temporary relief). Plus, maintaining the drains in your home provides an array of benefits, such as:

· Reduces potentially hazardous blockages.

· Removes possible odors derived from sewage.

· Prevents corrosion in your pipes by removing mineral or chemical deposits.

For example, sewage contamination presents a unique risk. Any potentially damage impacts your home's structure, flooring, electrical components. Plus, sewage contamination provides a real health hazard. Although clogged drains remain unavoidable, performing an routine maintenance and inspections of your drains help prevent plumbing emergencies.

How can Snappy help with Home Drain Cleaning?

There's probably no more unwelcome or unpleasant home plumbing mishap than a clogged drain or blocked sewer. The damages of a collapsed or root filled drain line can cause significant damage to your home and personal belongings.

While DIY clearing works for minor issues, professional home drain cleaning is necessary for long-term plumbing health. Snappy Electric, Plumbing, Heating, & Air is proud to serve the Greater Marietta area, providing expert solutions for households in Marietta, Smyrna, Kennesaw, and beyond.

Our licensed plumbers use advanced technology, such as hydro-jetting, to provide a deeper level of cleaning drains that traditional DIY methods simply cannot match. Whether you need a routine check-up to maintain clean drains or are facing a major backup, our team is ready to help restore your Marietta home's plumbing to peak performance.

Plus, with the Snappy Savings Club our plumbers will perform annual inspection and routine drain maintenance when needed. We can also provide advice on other options that can reduce the chances of having a drain disaster in your home.

Snappy Services offers expert drain and sewer repair, replacement, and clogged drain repair to all our local services. Contact us today to schedule an appointment or request service online.