Clogged Drain
A clogged drain quickly becomes a problem if you don’t clean the drain pipe and the water can’t drain away. In this article, we will give you tips on how to deal with drain blockages and when it’s time to resort to professional sewer cleaning!
Whenever the water drainage is no longer running smoothly due to a blockage in the pipe, there is a risk of a blockage. This can be caused by food debris, toiletries, or other items that get stuck in the drain, eventually clogging it. The smaller the diameter and the sharper the bends in the pipe, the easier it is to clog. Nevertheless, caution is required not only with a crooked siphon but also with any drain. In some cases, the removal of clogged drains should be entrusted to professionals. Drain unclogging is a popular service. How does it work? There are different methods to unclog bathtub drains, and some of them we will describe below.
Clogged drain: prevention is the best solution
Of course, it is better when the drain is not clogged than when you have to clean a clogged drain. After all, even if cleaning with household remedies or chemical cleaners proves successful, it’s not the most pleasant job. So take precautions from the start and don’t flush something that could lead to problems in the long run. Also, clean all drains in the house regularly. The most common causes of clogged drains are food debris, toiletries, hair, and building materials such as paint or plaster.
Household debris is not always the primary cause of a clogged drain. The occurrence of a clog is influenced by factors related to improper installation standards:
The sewer level is raised above the level of the bath.
The small slope of the bath itself towards the drain.
Incorrect installation of the siphon in the bathroom or in the kitchen.
If the clogged bathroom sink has stopped flowing water, the problem may be with the siphon or drain hole. Only qualified specialists can eliminate these errors and restore their operation. Our company specializes in fixing clogs in the sewer system. If you can’t fix a clog in your bathroom yourself, give us a call. Our specialists will help you cope with this problem.
Leftover food in the drain strainer
Leftover food always risks clogging drains, whether it ends up in the sink when washing dishes or flushed down the toilet after eating. Especially in the sink, this quickly creates an unpleasant odour from the drain and overflow. Liquid fat that hardens in the cool drain pipe also often causes problems.
Put a strainer in the sink to collect food scraps and dispose of them in the garbage can instead of the toilet. Wipe grease off the pan with paper towels and throw them in the trash instead of pouring the grease down the sink.
Hygiene products
Cotton swabs, diapers and make-up remover wipes must not be flushed down the toilet. Unlike toilet paper, they do not dissolve in water but keep their shape. They also suck up moisture, which is why they become a double problem, clogging drains like a cork. Clearing a drain pipe clogged by them is no easy task. Flush the pipes with hot water once a week to clean them of deposits. Soap residue also accumulates in pipes over time. Although these can hardly be prevented, they can be eliminated before they become a problem.
Hair
Long hair tends to form large tangles with soap residue in the shower and washbasin, preventing water from running off. The best way to prevent this is to use strainers in the drain to catch the hair and regularly dispose of it in the garbage. Another first sign of a clog forming is when the drain gurgles. As a precaution, we recommend cleaning it regularly with simple household remedies so that dirt cannot accumulate.
Earth, plaster and paint
Materials such as plaster, paint or silicone, in particular, can lead to major problems: they accumulate and can hardly be removed with normal cleaning agents. You also run the risk of permanently contaminating the pool after the paint or varnish dries.
Preventive measures are:
Strainer insert in the sink, shower and washbasin.
No disposal of hygiene items, hair, or leftovers.
Periodically pour hot water with salt down the drain.
In addition to the fact that plaster and paint clog the drain, disposing of it in the sewer is extremely harmful to the environment. These substances must not get into groundwater and must be disposed of properly – for example, at a recycling center.
The best ways to eliminate drain clogs
Many years of experience in dealing with household blockages made it possible to identify the top most effective methods, which include:
Mechanical – special devices like a spiral cable with a brush.
Power (physical) – pressure cleaning with a plunger.
Chemical – corroding the mud plug.
Clogged bathroom sink: prevention of the problem
Depending on the drain, different methods are more or less suitable for tackling a blockage. If you know the cause of the problem, you can target it and usually eliminate it quickly. Stubborn clogs are usually better removed by mechanical means. If the drain snaking is clogged, and the water flows back after cleaning it, it is quite challenging to flush the system. However, the cause of the problem is often unclear, so you have to test different approaches. Depending on the type of drain, different methods are used. For example, toilets are only cleaned mechanically, while cleaning agents are also suitable for other drains.
Clogged drain: should you disassemble the siphon yourself?
Suppose all of these methods don’t bring the desired result for the clogged drain. In that case, there is another cleaning option: disassemble the siphon and thoroughly clean each pipe, thus completely removing any blockages. However, it is not for everyone to disassemble water pipes and then reassemble them to be drip-proof, especially since not everyone has the necessary tools for this manual work.
Therefore, in such a case, getting help from a professional emergency service is usually the better way to clear the clogged drain. So you can be sure that the drain cleaning will be carried out professionally without damaging your pipes. If you still want to try to clean the siphon yourself, here are a few tips and simple instructions.
Pipe blockage: when to call qualified personnel
If nothing works and you don’t try to clear the blockage, you need the help of a specialist. The same applies if you are unsure about the condition of the drain pipes and do not want to damage them. In this case, do not use harsh cleaning agents and mechanical aids such as drain spirals, which can cause severe damage to the pipes if misused.
Instead, contact a professional who will not only safely remove the clog but also help you prevent further clogging. A professional can use extensive equipment that is not available to you. In severe cases, he can use, for example, a telescopic camera to get to the cause of the clog and thus specifically fix the problem. In addition, a qualified technician has years of experience cleaning clogs quickly and efficiently. A clean shower drain is our job!
