Basic Drain Pipe Problems And Drain Cleaning Service | Myrtle Beach, SC

4/12/2021

Photo By poom jung at Shutterstock

Most people don’t think of a clogged drain as a very big deal, and they generally aren’t. However, clogs can cause a lot of problems as they develop over time, and they only get more difficult to remove with time. Eventually, you’ll have to spring for expensive drain cleaning services to get stubborn clogs out of your Myrtle Beach, SC, home. You could even have a sewage backup in your home if you don’t get your drain cleaned soon enough. If you want to avoid some of the most common drain problems and save money on drain cleaning calls, we’ve got you covered.

Dry Traps

While a dry P trap isn’t something you need to call a drain cleaning service company for, it’s still a problem you should know about as a homeowner. The P trap is the section of pipe immediately beneath a fixture (such as a tub or sink) that’s responsible for creating an air gap to keep sewer gases out of your home. In order to function properly, your trap needs a little bit of water in it.

Over time, P traps can dry out if you’re not using the fixtures they’re connected to. This is a common problem in basement bathrooms that are rarely used. Fortunately, you can make sure your P traps always have the proper amount of moisture by running all the fixtures in your home for a minute or so at least once a week. This doesn’t take a lot of effort, but it can prevent nasty sewer odors from entering your home.

If running water in a dry P trap doesn’t help get rid of the sewer odor, make sure you call a plumber.

What Causes Clogs?

One of the most important things you can know as a homeowner is what you should and shouldn’t put down drains. While some things are obvious, you might be unknowingly building up clogs in your drains as a result of what you’re putting down them. Here’s a basic breakdown of what drain cleaning services have to deal with when it comes to unclogging various drains in your home.

Toilets are generally clogged by people flushing paper products that don’t break down like toilet paper does. Things like paper towels, cotton swabs, and makeup remover wipes tend to congeal rather than break down, which means you’re left with a solid mass somewhere in your drain line. Over time, this clog attracts more pieces until it’s blocking the pipe.

As far as bathroom sink and shower clogs go, hair and soap scum are the two big culprits. When you wash your hair or soap up your body, you naturally lose a little bit of hair. To make matters worse, some people like to shave in the shower or sink. No matter how you’re getting hair in your drains, the only way to prevent this is to install a drain catch.

Your kitchen sink is another hotspot for clogs because people treat garbage disposals so poorly. The truth is, your garbage disposal is meant to grind up little bits of food that you couldn’t scrape into the garbage can. Unfortunately, most people use garbage disposals as the first line of defense, shredding up chunks of meat, vegetables, and other tough foods without even thinking about using the trash can. If you want to avoid expensive drain cleaning service calls, you should scrape as much food as possible into the garbage can before using the disposal.

Removing a Clog

The good news is, you’ve got a couple of options when it comes to removing a clog at home. While you don’t want to do too much and risk damaging a pipe, there are some quick methods you can try that may loosen up a clog. The two most popular home drain cleaning options are liquid drain cleaners and plungers.

If you’re going to use a liquid drain cleaner, make sure it’s the right one. Drain cleaning service professionals recommend using an enzyme-based drain cleaner rather than a chemical cleaner, as they’re safer for pipes. Chemical drain cleaners can lead to reactions that corrode and damage pipes, leading to leaks and other problems in some cases. Enzyme-based cleaners eat away at the clog without doing any damage to the pipe itself.

If you can’t get a clog out with a liquid drain cleaner, you can always try using a plunger to create a bit of suction. Simply place the plunger over the drain as you would in the toilet, then plunge until the clog loosens. If using a liquid drain cleaner and plunger isn’t doing anything to loosen or remove a clog, you should leave any further action up to a drain cleaning service company.

When to Call a Drain Cleaning Service

As a homeowner, there’s only so much you can do to keep your drains clean and avoid clogs. If your clog is starting to get out of hand or you’ve exhausted your at-home drain cleaning options, it’s best to call a drain cleaning service company and let them handle the rest. Running a snake or auger can cause serious damage to drain pipes, so it’s always best to leave that to the experts. Plus, a plumber can help by giving you tips for keeping your drains clean in the future.

Get Your Drains Cleaned

Owning a home means you have to be on the lookout for problems at all times. When it comes to drain clogs, it’s all about watching out for slow drains and getting them unclogged before they stop working. If you’re in need of drain cleaning services for your Myrtle Beach, SC, home, Benjamin Franklin Plumbing of Myrtle Beach has you covered. From drain cleaning to repiping and installing new fixtures, our team can do it all. If you need your drains cleaned, call Benjamin Franklin Plumbing of Myrtle Beach at 843.894.0905.