3 Benefits of Drain Cleaning

Waste and sewer pipes aren't that large in diameter. If a pipe gets clogged, then it can't carry its water out of your plumbing system. Big clogs can completely block a pipe, but even small clogs can make your water drain away too slowly.

If you're having some drainage problems, then you should call out a plumber to investigate the drain and its pipe. It's often worth having your pipe cleaned at this stage. What are the advantages of having this work done?

1. Clean Out Clogs

Your plumber will check out a blocked or slow-draining pipe to find the source of the problem. Sometimes, they can see the problem when they look into the pipe. Or, they can feed a special video camera down the pipe to see what's inside.

If your plumber finds a blockage or clog, then they will clean it out. Your plumber might be able to clear a simple and soft clog by running a plumbing snake or augur tool through the pipe. These tools push the clog down through the system so that the pipe can run clearly again.

If you have a larger or harder blockage, then your plumber might use a high-pressure cleaning solution. For example, water jets can push clogs down a pipe more effectively. They can also clean harder substances—such as scale—off the interior sides of the pipe.

At the end of the job, your pipe will be clear and unblocked. Your drains will work normally again.

2. Find and Fix Damage

During a cleaning job, your plumber can also check your pipe's condition. Sometimes, waste pipes get clogged because you put something inappropriate down a drain. These materials don't usually cause any long-term damage.

However, clogs and blockages can have other causes which might leave some damage behind. For example, if your plumber checks out a slow-moving drain and finds that a tree root has broken into the pipe and is blocking it, then you need to repair the damage as well as clear out the root.

One of the benefits of a pipe cleaning process is the access it gives you to the inside of your pipe. These pipes aren't visible, so an internal view is useful. If your plumber sees signs of damage as they clean the pipe, they can recommend the best way to fix it so that you don't have more problems in the future.

3. Find Ways to Prevent Future Problems

Once your plumber has cleaned your pipe, they can talk to you about why it had a clog in the first place. It's a good idea to ask their advice on how you can prevent the problem from happening again, especially if you were responsible for it.

For example, if you throw grease, oils, and food scraps down your kitchen sink, then its pipe might clog periodically. Hair and soap scum can block shower and bath pipes. This debris can collect together and create blockages.

If you change your habits now, then your pipe should stay clear, and the problem shouldn't return. For example, you can stop putting oils, grease, and food scraps down your kitchen sink; you can use a drain trap to catch hair and soap scum in your shower or bath.

However, some pipe blockages aren't your fault. They might be caused by hard water that creates scale that sticks to the inside of waste pipes. If enough scale builds up, then the pipe will run slowly or not at all.

If scale is the problem, then your plumber can give you advice on how to soften the water you use at home. For example, they can install a whole-home water softening system for you. These systems improve the quality of your water and eliminate scale blockage problems.

If you have a clogged or slow-moving drain, then contact Butt Plumbing. Our expert team can assess your pipe, clean it, and help you find ways to avoid having the same problems in the future.