Drain cleaning and maintenance is not a hobby you can add to your list of Sunday to-dos. While you might be able to use the plunger in an emergency and buy yourself a bit of time, if you don't have the tools, techniques, or expertise to find problems in your drainage system, you won't ultimately be able to solve them.
Moreover, trying to DIY your way out of drainage issues could do more harm than good. Domestic drains go through a lot, even in a single day, so it's inevitable that they need regular attention to keep clogs and blockages from building up and to keep your home free of developing leaks and lingering smells — and all the nastiness of those effects.
What Does a Drain Cleaning Business Do?
Your domestic drainage system will need a certain amount of care and maintenance over the course of its lifespan. Regular clear drain plumbing is the process of cleaning drains and pipes before they have a chance to clog.
This regular practice preserves the quality and material of your drainage system and keeps water flowing easily and unobstructed, so you don't have to give sewage an extra thought. It saves you the time of scouring hardware stores and supermarkets for supplies, testing out different brands of harsh drain cleaner, and waiting to see if the drain will clear.
In the event of a problem, a drain cleaning and maintenance business will up the ante and investigate to find the source of the issue. This often ends in those professionals finding a blockage, since blocked pipes tend to be the reason for many knock-on symptoms like foul smells, leaks, and sewage leaks from outdoor pipes.
Clear drain plumbing procedure is designed to keep drainage systems healthy and functioning well, whether there's a problem or not.
Drain Cleaning Procedure
What does a drain cleaning procedure entail? A drain cleaning business will come to your home and the first thing they'll look to do is figure out the source of the problem (if there is one). If your system is running well, they'll still look to ensure that there are no problems waiting to happen. And if there is something funky going on, they'll work to discover where the blockage is located and what it's made of.
To save time and do the most effective inspection possible, drain cleaning teams often do a sewer camera inspection. What is a sewer camera inspection? What does it involve? Sewage inspection cameras are super precise tools, a bit like an endoscopic camera used in surgery. They can target the source of the problem, even if the pipe is narrow or otherwise difficult to navigate with other tools. A sewage inspection camera is especially useful if the problem you've got is complex and you need a thorough view of it. If a root system has invaded the pipes in your basement, for example, and you can't see where the root ends and the pipe begins, a sewage camera can shed light so you can fix the issue safely, without damaging your drainage.
On finding the source of the problem and identifying any substances involved, the drain cleaning business will use tools to reach the blockage and flush or dissolve it. They might use a pipe rooter, a precise tool that comes in various scales, to go in and root the blockage out. They might use a drain snake to travel along the drain and find smaller blockages. Or they might use a tool like a hydro-jet to add some extra pressure, flushing the pipe clean of residue.
If in doubt — and even if you're just ready to make drain cleaning maintenance a routine part of your home care — rely on a drain cleaning business for regular sewer drain cleaning. For those in the Pittsburgh area, Stahl Plumbing can help you keep your pipes clean and healthy without the bother and uncertainty of DIY fixes. Get in touch today!