A sewer system backup can occur at any home when severe clogs and other issues with their plumbing systems happen. Fortunately, Mr. Rooter Plumbing of Dubuque’s outstanding plumbing solutions cover a wide array of issues, including clogged drain pipes and backups. In the plumbing profession, finding the best drain cleaning method for a specific job may involve hydrojetting and other technologies to clear obstructive material buildup and get water and waste flowing efficiently again. However, another essential service value component is ensuring our entire work process stays transparent while we help customers understand their drain clogs’ details. We’re always happy to explain how backups and clogs develop, break down the best-clogged drain DIY solutions, and advise you on when calling a professional is necessary. Below, we’ve listed some examples of common questions customers ask us and our answers to each. Please reach out to us with additional questions or for more information about the ones we’ve answered below.
What Causes a Drain Clog?
A material collection inside one of your drains is the usual cause for a slow-draining or completely blocked sink, toilet, or another receptacle. Material build is a normal occurrence that happens in every home plumbing system. Hygiene products like dirt, soap, and hair flowing into toilet, tub, and sink drains in your bathroom can collect as time passes. Kitchen drains develop obstructions as food and grease waste accumulate while traveling down your sink, appliances, and other plumbing features. Materials can even build up in utility sinks that inevitably slow or block water flow. Furthermore, a foreign object flushing down one of your drains that shouldn’t go into your plumbing system, like pull-up diapers or children’s toys, can cause sewer system backups. Mr. Rooter Plumbing of Dubuque is always happy to examine your drains and sewer system if a slow drain or backup occurs.
How Do I Know if I Need to Clean My Drains?
Mr. Rooter Plumbing of Dubuque has years of experience dealing with various signs and symptoms displayed by plumbing systems when they require drain cleaning. However, some households need professional insight covering signs to watch for around their homes. Residential drains commonly need cleaning when they drain slowly or have standing water. Other indicators to be aware of include strong odors coming from drains or drain flies gathering around them. If multiple drains in your home drain slowly, a main sewer clog could be the problem because of dense objects like wet wipes or tree roots impacting your sewer system.
What Can I Do to Clean My Drain Myself?
Some clogged drain cases are not fixable with DIY methods, but you can take some measures to clean the drains around your home yourself. Below, we’ve described a few simple, at-home options for lightly clogged drains:
Coat Hanger Method
Bend a half-inch hook at a straightened wire coat hanger end, push the hook end down your drain to the bottom, and twist it to catch and remove hair and other obstructions.
Dissolving with Vinegar
Mix baking soda with vinegar and pour the solution down your drain. The combined ingredients can dissolve your drain obstruction.
Boiling Water
You can loosen obstructive material by pouring boiling water down the affected drain. Please don’t try this method more than once because boiling water can damage the joints in PVC piping.
Be Cautious
You should always err on the side of caution when cleaning your drains with DIY products and methods to prevent damage. For instance, caustic drain cleaners are known to corrode pipes severely. We strongly urge homeowners to avoid using at-home remedies like these.
When to Invest in Professional Drain Cleaning
After trying to clear your clogged drains using the above methods without success, we recommend getting in touch with our highly trained and reliable service professionals for drain-cleaning solutions. A service professional is particularly necessary if a clog forms in your main line and causes clogs in other household drains. Mr. Rooter Plumbing of Dubuque gladly offers timely and definitive clogged drain solutions at competitive prices. We’re well-known for our outstanding work quality that yields immediate and long-term results. Furthermore, we hold every customer experience to impressively high industry standards.