If your sink, shower, or bath drain has been treated multiple times with drain cleaner and still doesn’t drain properly, it might be time for more drastic measures. Sometimes, a drain cleaner will temporarily alleviate the problem, but if there is an ongoing blockage or damage to the drain, it will not solve the issue altogether.
What Causes Slow Drains?
Even the smallest residue can cause a blockage and make your drain stop doing its job. If left to its own devices, a blocked drain can cause serious problems such as sewage backups, which then require expensive professional plumbing repairs and the cleaning of your home.
Clogs block slow drains caused by a buildup of soap, grease, cooking fat, hair, and dust or fabric particles. These substances accumulate quickly, and you may even have clogs you don’t know about yet in drains that appear to function normally.
An Ounce of Prevention
It’s much easier to try to prevent clogs in the first place than to rely on drain cleaner whenever you find slow or standing water. Never put the following down the drain:
- Grease or cooking far
- Cement, grout, or joint compound
- Personal care items/feminine hygiene items
- Large amounts of food waste (even if you have a garbage disposal)
You can also regularly schedule drain cleaning by flushing drains with hot water, applying suction with different sizes of plungers to release any debris, or using a plumbing service to do the cleaning semi-annually or quarterly. Installing mesh screens on drains and pulling out and cleaning stoppers can also help prevent clogs.
Let Us Fix Your Drain
Contact us if your attempts to unclog a slow or blocked drain do not fix the problem. We can clear the blockage, allowing you to use your sink, tub, or shower again without exacerbating the problem or exposing yourself or your family to unhealthy standing water and bacteria from drains.