Signs That It’s Time for You to Call a Drain Cleaning Professional | Richmond, VA

7/3/2020

Photo By Andrey_Popov at Shutterstock

Efficient drainage is a thing that we take for granted most times until the sinks or the toilet can no longer allow water to go through and they produce an unpleasant smell. It is good practice to have regular maintenance of your drainage even when it seems to be working perfectly to prevent the accumulation of small problems to bigger ones.

Drain cleaning helps to maintain the hygiene of your home and to prevent bad smells and makes you by drain cleaning comfortable hosting visitors in your home. Well-maintained drainage saves you from unnecessary expenses of hiring a professional every time the drainage clogs. Many things could be clogging your drainages like food particles and paint. bluefrog Plumbing + Drain in Richmond, VA is a professional plumber who can help to clean your drainage and save you from uncomfortable smells and inconvenience.

How Should You Unclog a Clogged Drainage?

The first step in drain cleaning before a professional plumber does it for you is to cover the overflow vents with a damp piece of cloth. Overflow vents are commonly found in bathtubs but rarely found in kitchen and bathroom sinks. In case two sinks in your house share a drainage system, you should ensure that you cover all of them.

Allow water to fill the clogged sink until the head of the plunger can no longer be seen. Smear the head of the plunger with petroleum jelly to allow it to stick better to the sink. Move the plunger from side to side of the opening and then back and forth motions of the plunger on the sink. The pressure that is caused by these motions will pull out whatever is causing the clogging.

If this intervention is effective, you will notice that the water will start moving inside and outside the drainage. The water will start flowing after making about twelve such motions but if this does not happen, repeat the procedure all over again while watching for any movement of water. Do not use store-bought chemicals when drain cleaning because they will corrode the sinks and other parts of your drainage system. Consult a professional plumber if you want to use chemicals in drain cleaning.

If the above intervention fails, you can try to drain the water into a bucket by removing the plug which helps to collect particles that escape into the drainage and prevents them from clogging the sink. Once you have removed this plug, you can then look to see what is causing the drainage and then try to use a wire or stick to remove the clog. Remove the trap and check if it is the cause of the clog, and if it is, wash it thoroughly and rinse it with water and then put it back.

If all these interventions fail to work, this is a clear indication that you need to contact bluefrog Plumbing in Richmond, VA who will professionally clean your clogged drainage. You should get your drainage checked every year by a qualified plumber so that you prevent the accumulation of small clogs to large ones that will be very hectic to clear and will cost you a lot in maintenance and drain cleaning.

How Can You Avoid Clogging Your Drainage?

It is advisable to dispose of food and other particles in a trash can rather than throwing them in the sink. You can then cover these trash cans and regularly empty them so that you avoid having a bad smell in your kitchen. You should also invest in high quality and properly fitting sink strainer that will trap the particles coming from your sink thus preventing them from clogging your sink. A non-fitting sink strainer will not serve these purposes and food particles and other debris will end up leaking into the drainage. Always confirm that the strainer is in position before using the sink.

Regularly flush your kitchen and bathroom sinks with hot water which will help push away any clog that may have accumulated over time. Allow water to flow from the tap to the sink every time you finish using the sink. Regularly confirm that your septic system is working properly by checking it out or having a professional plumber take a look at it and help your clear your drainage. Never pour grease inside your sink because it eventually thickens and clogs your drainage system.

Avoid disposing of sanitary towels, paper, or anything else that cannot be flushed inside your toilet because they are going to clog the drainage. Avoid using chemical drain cleaners because they will corrode your drainage system. Always ensure that you hire an accredited and highly qualified plumber to clear your drainage because a badly done job will end up clogging your drainage again. Drain cleaning should not only be a plumber’s job but it is also your responsibility to ensure that you keep your drainage clean.

Whenever you are painting your house or any other surface, ensure that you do not spill any pain inside the sinks as this will clog the drainage. Always clean your sinks, bathtubs, and toilets as many times as possible to push away any accumulated debris. Always clean the stoppers of your bathtubs and the strainers of your sink. Remove hairs and other visible substances that can clog your sink when you see them before they go further down and clog your drainage. This will help ease things up during drain cleaning.

These are the Signs That Show That You Need Drain Cleaning

When your sink delays to empty the water after using it, this shows that there is something that is causing a blockage and that the drainage needs to be cleaned. Clogged drainage will produce a bad smell mostly because the food or the substance that is causing the blockage may have rotted. You may also start to notice that flies and other insects start coming to the sink because they are attracted by the garbage inside the sink.

A sink or toilet where water comes back up after flushing clearly shows that your drainage is blocked and that your drainage needs cleaning. A blocked sink may also make strange noises, and this indicates that it needs to be cleaned.

Conclusion

Some of the things that cause blocking of the sinks and bathtubs include food particles like coffee beans and improperly disposed of garbage. A bad smell coming from your sink, a strange noise, and slow drainage are some of the signs that tell its time to call bluefrog Plumbing + Drain in Richmond, VA.