Drain Cleaning
Given that the conditon of our drains isn't visible to the naked eye, it's easy to take laid-back, "out of sight, out of mind" approach to maintaining them.
But clogged drains can be a nightmare to fix, causing damage to the infrastructure of your home and attracting pests in the meantime. That's why it's important to take a proactive approach, and eliminate the accumulation of grease and food as soon as you see any signs of disrespair.
First things first, what are the symptoms?
As with personal health, part of a proactive drain cleaning regime entails keeping your eyes peeled for any symptoms of blockage.
One of the most obvious of these is your kitchen or bathroom sink taking an inordinate amount of time to completely drain. If your the plug is unobsctructed but water is flowing slowly, it probably means there is a blockage near the top of the main drain.
Another symptom that is usually easy to spot is unusual noise or dripping coming from your toilet. If you start to hear or see things that you don't recognise in the bathroom, it's could be a sign there's an issue with your internal sewer system.
You can also detect blockages by seeing whether the use of an appliance in one part of your house affects a different appliance in another part. For example, if draining the kitchen sink causes movement with your toilet, it may mean you have a blockage somwhere.
Remember: as soon as you spot something like this, particularly if water is being backed up from the drain into your toilet or sink, it is important you act right away - even if you believe the situation is manageable.
Are there any home remedies I can try?
It is perfectly reasonable to try and tackle blocked drains yourself before shelling out on a professional cleaning service - as they can be costly and, in some cases, charge for work that it's possible to do yourself.
One of the most common methods used by homeowners to clean their drains is utilising a plunger over the affected plug, in an effort to clear any grease or food blocking the way. This can work, however technique is all important. It's less about being forceful than it is being persistent - several gentle motions is much better than one powerful press.
Pouring chemicals down your drain is another option, although often times hot water can be just as effective - as this can help flush any material lodged in the pipes. In order to try this, simply run the hot tap in your sink for around 10 or 15 minutes. It's not guaranteed to work, but it's always worth a try before you go paying for expensive cleaning prroducts.
A popular solution to use for the purposes of drain cleaning is vinegar and baking soda, a combination which will attempt to break down the consistency of the gunk clogged in your pipes. As above, this is a cheap, first port-of-call for anyone struggling with blocked drains, and by no means guaranteed to be a success.
If these fail, you can always look to drain cleaning products found on the shelves of supermarkets instead. These come in either powder or liquid form, with the best examples being brands like Drano, Pure Lye and Whink.
What about professional services?
Unfortunately, not all home remedies are going to be successful. A lot of people will therefore be forced to call in professionals to help them resolve their drain blockages.
Because this is particular to your local area, the best way to recruit a plumber who will act in your best interests is to ask friends and co-workers to recommend one that they've recently used.
Try to avoid companies that specialise in so-called "emergency" plumbing situations (unless, of course, you really are in an emergency situation) as these typically charge a premium rate, despite often trying the same methods as everyone else.
