Dirty, clogged drains are a fast-track way to spread foul smells and potentially dangerous bacteria throughout your home. Visit https://www.septictankarmadale.com.au/ for some simple steps you can take to avoid clogs and keep your home’s drains running smoothly.
The first step in drain cleaning is to run hot water down your drains. This will dislodge many types of blockages and is also a good preventative measure.
Using baking soda and vinegar as a drain cleaner provides an effective, cheap alternative to chemical drain cleaners. This method leverages the chemical reaction between sodium bicarbonate and acetic acid to produce bubbles that dislodge and break down organic debris like food particles, grease, soap scum, coffee grounds, and hair. Using this technique regularly can prevent clogs and keep your home’s drains and garbage disposals in top condition.
The key to this DIY solution is in the ratio of baking soda to vinegar. You’ll need to use equal parts of each substance in order for the reaction to work properly. Aside from being a highly effective and eco-friendly drain cleaning agent, baking soda is also a natural deodorizer that can help remove unpleasant smells.
Before you get started, it’s important to prioritize safety. You’ll want to make sure that you’re working in a well-ventilated area and that you wear gloves for protection against any potential residue or fumes.
Start by pouring about half a cup of baking soda down the clogged drain. Then, follow it up with about a cup of vinegar. Allow the mixture to fizz for at least 30 minutes before you flush it with hot water. Repeat as necessary until the clog is fully resolved.
If you don’t have any vinegar on hand, lemon juice can serve as a substitute. In fact, it’s actually slightly more effective than baking soda at breaking down greasy build-up and eliminating unpleasant odors in your drain. Just remember to pour a small amount of lemon juice down your drain before you use it, as the acid in the liquid can corrode metal pipes and cause severe damage if allowed to sit for too long.
For a quick and easy maintenance routine, you can also try simply flushing your drain with a cup of hot water. This can prevent a build-up of organic debris and can even help to dissolve certain types of mineral deposits that may be causing your drains to slow down or become blocked. The best part about this simple solution is that it only requires items you probably already have in your kitchen.
Chemical Drain Cleaners
Chemical drain cleaners are available at most hardware stores and work through a chemical reaction to dissolve organic materials that form clogs. They are typically sold in liquid form and require the user to pour them down a drain. There are four main types of chemical drain cleaners: acidic, caustic, oxidizing and enzymatic. All of them work by donating or accepting electrons from the clog material to create a chemical reaction that dislodges it.
Acidic drain cleaners are the harshest and contain hydrochloric or sulfuric acid ingredients that generate a strong chemical reaction with the clog to break it down. They are often effective against tough grease clogs but can damage your pipes and cause corrosion. Caustic drain cleaners are made from sodium hydroxide (also known as lye) and are very effective against organic clogs such as hair, roots and sludge. They also generate a lot of heat that melts and liquefies the clog material.
Oxidizing drain cleaners are less harsh and combine a number of different actions to break down the clog. Nitrates and bleaches release oxygen to oxidize clogs while peroxides and enzymatic cleaners digest fats, oils and other substances that are solid at room temperature into soap-like compounds that can be flushed away.
Chemical drain cleaners offer some convenience and are quick to use, but they don’t always resolve the underlying issue. In addition, they can be dangerous to your health, your plumbing system and the environment.
Toxic to Your Pipes
Most chemical drain cleaners generate a lot of heat through a chemical reaction, which can melt or warp plastic pipes and cause metal ones to bulge or crack. They can also disrupt the balance of your plumbing system by lowering pH levels which can lead to scale buildup and corrosion.
Dangerous to Your Health
The corrosive chemicals in most drain cleaners can be dangerous to your health, especially if splashed on your skin or in your eyes. They can also irritate your respiratory tract and if inhaled can even cause chemical burns. They can also be harmful to children and pets who might accidentally drink them.
Plumbing Snake
The best tool for dealing with stubborn drain clogs is a plumbing snake, also known as a hand auger. It’s long coil stored inside a canister, and as you crank the handle, it slowly feeds into your clogged pipe until it encounters resistance. Once the head of the snake reaches the clog, you can rotate it back and forth to grind away at it. If you have a hard time turning the snake, it may mean that the head has come against something solid like a large rock or piece of broken pipe. If this is the case, a plumber will be needed.
Before using a plumbing snake, clear out the area around the drain to make it easier to work with. It’s also important to use caution when operating a snake and avoid pushing it too hard into your pipe, as this could damage the pipe and cause costly repairs in the future. Before you start cranking, put on some gloves and safety goggles to protect yourself from splashes and grime. It’s a good idea to flush the pipe with cold water before snaking, as this can neutralize any chemicals that may be in it.
Once you’ve cleared out the area around your drain, remove any covers or stoppers and clear out any other objects that might be in the way of working with the snake. You’ll also want to remove the p-trap, a U-shaped section of piping under the sink that collects hair and soap scum. You can consult your sink’s manual or online resources to learn how to do this. After the p-trap is removed, insert the snake’s head into the drain opening or access point on the wall.
Once the head of the snake reaches the drain clog, begin rotating it back and forth. The more you turn, the more it will grind against the clog and break it up. When you feel that the clog has been broken up and pulled out of your pipe, retract the snake slowly and test the water flow. If the drain still seems slow or clogged, run hot water down the pipe to flush it out.
Call a Plumber
There are few plumbing problems more frustrating than a drain or toilet that won’t flush. If you can’t fix a clogged drain on your own, it may be time to call a plumber for professional help. Using a plunger or pouring chemical drain cleaners can actually damage your pipes rather than fixing the problem. If your clog is a serious one, it can result in water back-up in your tub or shower or in a sewer backup in your home. This is a dangerous and expensive issue to have.
A skilled plumber can use a variety of tools to clean your drains and restore proper flow. He or she will first run a plumbing camera through your pipe to see what’s causing the blockage. Once the clog is identified, your plumber will choose a drain cleaning solution that best fits your situation.
For example, a plumber can use a high-powered water hose to completely scour the inside of your pipes and remove any debris that has collected in the line. This method can be especially effective on grease clogs or other stubborn blockages that regular drain cleaning methods haven’t been able to break up or dislodge.
Another option is to hire a plumber who can use a commercial snake or a drain auger to slowly grind away at your clog until it breaks apart or disappears. This is a more reliable method of clearing out a serious clog than chemical drain cleaners or the good old-fashioned plunger. A professional plumber can also install a new garbage disposal unit or a whole-house sewage ejector pump to prevent future clogs.
Whether you’re dealing with a minor hair clog, an overflowing kitchen sink or a backed-up toilet, you can trust the professional plumbers to diagnose and treat your problem quickly and effectively.