How Often Should I Clean My Drains?
Posted by William Heinselman on
As long as water is flowing freely through the drains of your home or business, you give them little thought. Let a drain become clogged, pouring dirty water over your clean tile or carpet, and it is another story. There are many reasons that sewer drains can become clogged and cause you a headache. Hair, kitchen, grease, collapsing sewer lines, or those clogged with plant roots can cause a sewer backup into your home or business.
Very few property owners can tell you when or if they have had their plumbing inspected. These are not issues that you can see without proper inspection. As one of the most expensive systems in your home or business, keeping sewer lines clean will add to their life cycle and cause you fewer problems.
Are your Drains Clear?
Sometimes a drain will back up with no warning. Usually, though there will be signs that you have a drainage problem. Indicators of problems are pipes that gurgle, slow draining toilets, showers, or tubs, or foul odors coming from your drains. If you have any of these issues, getting your drains cleaned by a professional, now, can save frustration in the future. Sewage backup is not just messy; it is also very unhealthy for you and your family.
Cleaning Drain Blockages
Most homeowners are able to clear a blockage with a plunger, chemical solution, or with other do it yourself methods. These methods will work if it is a small clog. If you have a continual blockage or one that you cannot fix, drain cleaning of your home or business sewer pipes will be necessary. To do this the plumbers use a method called hydro jetting. Using a high-pressure sprayer, a plumber can clean your pipes so that water runs through them and does not backup into your floors.
Sewer Drain Cleaning Schedule
Several factors can determine a drain-cleaning schedule. The amount of wastewater that goes down your drain will vary if there are five people in a home, instead of one. The age of your sewer drain lines and their condition is another factor. If you do not know when you drains were last cleaned then now is the time to have it done, before a problem occurs. For most homeowners having drains cleaned once a year is enough. If you have a high volume of usage, your drains need to be cleaned every six months, or quarterly.
The Efficiency of your Drains
Drains that clog often could have structural problems. As drain pipes age, the insides can become rough, penetrated by plant roots, or collapse. Replacement of sewer lines is necessary as homes and properties age. Many of the homes in Sacramento where built over 100 years ago and have drains that need attention. The average age of older materials like Orangeburg, cast iron, and other materials will have outlived their life cycle. Frequent drain issues require frequent cleaning. A licensed plumber will be necessary to determine where the problem is and advise you on a solution.
Commercial Drain Cleaning
The sewer drains of commercial properties need a maintenance schedule that suits their volume of usage. Restaurants, laundries, and other commercial properties need more frequent cleaning than a home. Monthly or quarterly drain cleaning will keep you from having a sewage backup in your business, which can close your doors.
For municipalities and commercial properties, a licensed plumber can use a fiber optic camera to see the inside of your drains. By doing so they can determine if there is a structural issue with your piping or a blockage from roots
Using trenchless, sewer line replacement, plumbers can replace faulty drain lines easier than in the past. This method allows the plumber to reline or replace the drains of your home or business property. Less invasive than open trench methods, sewer line replacement may be necessary for some homes or businesses. This technology is the fastest way to get your drains flowing when they need repair.
Schedule Drain Cleaning for your Home or Business
You can schedule drain cleaning for your home or business, today. It will prevent future problems. A sewage backup is a messy event and preventative maintenance is the key to free flowing sewer lines. Make an appointment today and have the drains of your home, business, to keep water flowing freely.
Topics: Commercial Plumbing, Home Plumbing, Drain Cleaning and Repair