Menu
Pipes can easily get clogged because they carry wastewater and other substances from the house to the septic tanks. The blockage can happen because of items that aren’t supposed to go into the pipes, like oil, grease, tree roots, hair, and personal hygiene products like baby wipes or sanitary towels. If you don’t get rid of the clogs early on, they can ultimately become a significant nuisance and even damage your pipes.
Your house can also become unhygienic because dirty sewage water and foul odors may fill your home. Using the toilet, kitchen sinks, or bathroom can also make it challenging because a water pool will always form around the drainage hole.
Thus, begin by determining the cause of your clogged pipes and then apply simple procedures to unclog them. You can also have experts assist you if the clogs are extensive. With that in mind, below are eight things to do if your pipes keep getting clogged:
1. Consult Expert Plumbers
You may have already tried do-it-yourself (DIY) fixes to clear clogs from your pipes, but it doesn’t work. It’s prudent to have an expert come in and thoroughly inspect the pipes to identify the problems. A root may have grown into the pipes, or there’s too much buildup of grease, calcium, or hygiene products. These are issues that may be difficult to fix independently without the right tools. At this stage, the pipes need to be checked extensively from the inside to spot where the problem is.
Consequently, it’s recommended to seek assistance from local service providers, such as professional plumbers in Greenwood Indiana. Due to their vast expertise in dealing with such issues, you can contact them for assistance. They’ll thoroughly inspect the pipes using advanced plumbing tools and clear all hard-to-reach clogs in the pipe or replace them with new ones. Notably, working with reliable plumbers enables you to find a lasting solution to clogged drains. In addition, you can contact them to do routine inspections.
2. Try Out Home Made Solutions (Baking Soda And Vinegar)
You can remove clogs from your pipes using household items like baking soda and vinegar. Mix the two and pour the solution into your drain to help unclog it. Add half a glass of baking soda to a cup of vinegar and top off with hot water. Then pour the solution down the drain.
Next, cover the sink and run hot water for a few minutes. If the clogs are too massive, the process may not effectively work on the first attempt. Thus, you can do it repeatedly to achieve the intended results.
3. Conduct A Hot Water Flush
Try flushing your drains with hot water to help remove the clogs in your pipes. Boil a pail of water, then pour it down the pipes. The heat helps loosen and move the pipe blockages. Moreover, it aids in emulsifying grease, a significant contributor to kitchen clogs.
However, please exercise caution when using the hot water technique because it’s mostly effective for metal and ceramic pipes. Remember that polyvinyl chloride (PVC) pipes can rupture if you use boiling water.
4. Use A Plunger
A plunger is another excellent way to rid your pipes of clogs. Run water into the sink until it’s halfway full, then put the plunger’s beaker in the drain hole. Then, firmly pump the plunger back and forth. The pressure propels the debris down the drain and into the septic tank, freeing them of clogs. Check periodically to see if the water has been removed. If it fails the first time, repeat the pumping procedure until it works. It’s an effective method if hard substances are stuck in your pipes.
5. Buy A Drain Snake
A drain snake is a tool used by plumbers to clear severe obstructions. You can buy a drain snake from the local hardware store and handle the task yourself or hire a licensed plumber to do the job for you. To insert the device, you must initially remove the sink stopper. Then, eliminate the residues you can see on the surface and insert the snake. You must have reached the clog if you feel it isn’t moving.
Start spinning the coil in the rear of the cable. It rotates swiftly, breaking off the clogs until they’re all eradicated. However, the device only works if the clogs are almost close to the drain hole because it can’t reach further into the pipes. Besides, you’d only want to try this technique if the others don’t work because the snake can damage your pipes.
6. Put Up Filters
It’s best to prevent clogging problems using filters. A filter can be a wire mesh that traps the residues like hair, food substances, or soap before they pass through into the pipes. After placing the filters, clean them periodically to remove the surface dirt that might accumulate and clog the drain holes.
7. Use Chemical Drain Solution
Typically, chemicals effectively break down clogs. For instance, you can use chemicals like copper sulfate to help remove clogs caused by tree roots. But ensure it doesn’t spill outside the pipe, as it can kill plants and trees. Moreover, chemicals can damage your pipes if the material is prone to corrosion.
It would be best to check the active ingredients on the chemical’s packaging before buying it to ensure it’s compatible with your pipes. Alternatively, you can use a bacteria-based drain cleaner to assist in unclogging your pipes, as they are better suited for pipes.
8. Regularly Clean Your Pipes
Pipes can get clogged anytime, even if only small particles go through them. So, use solutions to clean them at least once every week thoroughly. It helps prevent pipe corrosion and buildup, which can cause pipes to burst or clog. Otherwise, you can have plumbers inspect and unclog your pipes every month.
Conclusion
Clogging is a significant nuisance you shouldn’t have to deal with regularly as a homeowner. You can use DIY solutions to assist you in unclogging the drains. If the problems persist, engage the services of expert plumbers to help you fix plumbing issues and provide a lasting solution.
