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You Can Prevent Damage To Your Drainage System With A Regular Drain Cleaning Service | Myrtle Beach, SC
Some homeowners think that clogged drains only cause the occasional annoyances and backflows. Although the clogged drainage system can be annoying, they are more dangerous. The blockage in your drains is nothing but a gross tip of a disgusting iceberg that has plenty of damage and danger that lurks beneath its surface. Faced with a drain clog, backflows are the least of your problems. Hence, it is recommended that homeowners in Myrtle Beach, SC have a routine drain cleaning service to ensure that their drains don’t fall victim to clogs. Below are some of the worst possible kinds of damage that a clogged drain can cause.
Bacteria and Microbes
Clogs in your drainage system aren’t just bad for the plumbing and your health. When the pipes become clogged up, it will eventually force the wastewater to start back flowing. The wastewater backflow will create a suitable breeding ground for fungi, bacteria, and other disease-causing microorganisms within the drains. Whenever these microorganisms are left to rot in your drains, cross-contamination will happen within a matter of time.
This might make you or your family members sick from the clogged drainage system, which is the last thing you want. The microorganisms that might thrive in your clogged drains include Escherichia coli, Salmonella Typhi, Campylobacter jenjuni, and Legionella. To ensure that the bacteria and microbes don’t have a place to breed and thrive, have a routine drain cleaning performed by your reliable plumber.
Flooding
Flooding is among the most obvious damage resulting from a drainage system blockage. The wastewater within the drains needs to flow somewhere. When the drainage system is substantially clogged, the water starts to back into your floor and bathroom drains. You have a plumbing emergency when the wastewater enters your living space.
Flooding will undoubtedly happen without a drain cleaning service to clear the clogged drains. This might be caused by the bursting of the drain pipes or backflows. The emphasis is that it will happen. The homeowners that have had to deal with overflowing sinks, toilets, or bathtubs understand the severity of the issue. Fortunately, visible flooding is easy to notice and contain compared to invisible flooding.
The other flooding caused by a clogged drainage system is more difficult to spot. Suppose the obstruction in the drainage system is serious enough and the water doesn’t have enough space to back up. Then your pipes are at risk of bursting. Repairing burst pipes is labor intensive and costly undertaking that will cost you a fortune.
Hence, have your checkbook at hand because you will need it. The water damage under the slab, walls, and yard will cost you thousands of dollars and extensive periods of disruptive repairs. This is a lot compared to the meager cost you pay the plumber for a drain cleaning service to avert such problems as flooding.
Mold
The other form of damage that a clogged drainage system can bring about is mold growth in your home. The shear rate at which mold spreads is a nightmare for most homeowners. However, mold has highly specific requirements for it to breed and thrive. One such condition is a clogged drainage system. Mold requires a dark, damp environment with plenty of oxygen to grow. When the drains have a blockage, molds might grow and spread. With a routine drain cleaning service, this has no chance of happening.
If the pipes are clogged to the extent that they spring a leak or result in backflows that cause flooding, mold might start growing in the damp spots. Since mold forms in hidden areas, it might take you time to notice its existence. You can avoid these problems by having a plumber come for a drain cleaning service to remove the blockages. The out-of-sight-out-of-mind mantra doesn’t apply when it comes to your drains. Although they will grow in hidden places, molds can cause serious health complications.
Symptoms and Health Effects of Mold Infestations
Mold infestation is among the worst kinds of damage that clogged drains can cause in your Myrtle Beach, SC home. Regular drain cleaning services from a reliable plumber can help keep the drainage clear to avoid leaks, floods, and future mold infestation. Mold reproduces fast and can cause respiratory complications, such as coughing, wheezing, sneezing, throat irritation, lung irritation, skin rash, nose irritation, headaches, and watery eyes. The last thing you want forming at your home is mold. It also worsens the conditions of those with pre-existing respiratory complications such as asthma.
Toxic Gasses
The drains contain a toxic concoction of decaying food products, chemical cleaners, stagnant water, human waste, and more. Whenever the drains are functioning properly, they carry all these wastes from your home into the municipal sewer system. They also protect your home from the pungent smells of the above rancid mixture. However, toxic gasses might penetrate your Myrtle Beach, SC home when clogs compromise the drains.
Unfortunately, some homeowners resort to using chemical drain cleaners such as Drano rather than having a drain cleaning service from a reliable plumber. However, the chemical drain cleaning products feature several toxic and harsh chemicals that might result in more problems than solutions. These products use chemical reactions to break up the clogs.
In these reactions, heat and toxic gas fumes are produced. Further, the chemical drain cleaners also make the metallic pipes corrode faster and weaken. When these gasses are inhaled, they might result in various respiratory complications.
Unfortunately, some homeowners mix two or more chemical drainage cleaning products to enhance the product’s efficiency. This is the worst thing to do as various drain cleaning products contain various chemicals that can react with each other. Various toxic gasses such as chloroform, chlorine gas, peracetic acid, chloramine, and chloramine are dangerous and form whenever the different cleaning products are mixed. Worse, when some chemical drain cleaning products are mixed, they might explode or produce excessive heat. Never use or mix chemical drain cleaning products. Rather, have a professional plumber come for a drain cleaning service.
Professional Plumbing Services
Drain clogs are among the leading plumbing issues in various homes. Unfortunately, they cause more than backups, as mentioned above. Hence, you must have your drains cleaned regularly by a professional. For a reliable and thorough drain cleaning service, don’t hesitate to contact us at Benjamin Franklin Plumbing of Myrtle Beach to ensure that all your clogs are cleared.