Many homeowners don’t realize that they should get their drains cleaned regularly by professionals in order to maintain their plumbing. The truth of the matter is that most experts recommend getting your drains cleaned every 2 years. If you live in an older home or if your drains are in poor shape, you may need to get them cleaned more frequently.
Getting your drains cleaned professionally is a lot different than attempting to do it yourself. For one, our professionals will ensure that your drains look extremely clean afterwards. In fact, your drains should look brand new. You shouldn’t experience any clogging in the foreseeable future.
If you’ve never gotten a professional cleaning before, this article will walk you through what it is, how you can prepare for it and what you can do to maintain your drains after cleaning. If you have any further questions or concerns, you can always contact us either by phone or through our online form.
What Does a Drain Cleaning Service Entail?
A drain cleaning service is relatively simple. It involves a video inspection that will give our plumbers (and you!) a better idea of what’s causing the clog and different types of cleaning services, like hydro jetting services. We not only clean plumbing and drains within the home, but we also offer sewer repair and trenchless sewer repair services depending on what’s causing the clog.
If you’ve never gotten your drains cleaned professionally before, you should really consider giving us a call. We can walk you through the entire process so you know what to expect. This way, there will be no surprises. Our licensed plumbers can also give you a better idea of the cost of the service, as well as how long it will take for us to get the job done.
The most important part of a drain cleaning service is the video inspection. This is something that most homeowners are not able to do themselves, mostly because they don’t have the equipment for it. A video inspection will give you a closer look at the condition of your plumbing and also provide you with more information as to what may be causing the clogs. It’ll give you insight into your lifestyle and what you may be doing to cause your plumbing to become wrecked or damaged. It will also give us a better idea of the type of cleaning solution that will work best for your situation.
When Should You Get a Drain Cleaning Service?
So, when should you get a drain cleaning service?
For one, this isn’t usually an emergency plumbing service. If you don’t get this done immediately, it usually won’t lead to further damage to your drains. With that said, we recommend getting St. Paul, MN drain cleaning services in the following circumstances:
- You notice that water is draining extremely slowly from any sink. It may take some time for the water to completely drain from the sink. Also, you may notice that this problem is getting worse and worse. For example, it may have taken 10 seconds for your sink to completely drain last week; however, you may have noticed that it now takes 15 seconds. This is proof that the situation is getting worse and worse. If you don’t get professional help, the situation is not likely to improve.
- Water is backing up into the drain after the sink is empty. This is usually an indication of a much larger problem.
- There are gross odors and smells coming from the drains. This usually means that there is something stuck and decaying within your plumbing. It could also mean that there’s a lot of mold, bacteria or other microbes growing in your plumbing.
- Water is pooling at the drain of the shower basin. This is an indication that there is something clogging the drains and preventing the water from really moving down your plumbing. This could indicate that there’s rust in your plumbing or other issues.
In all of the scenarios above, call for professional help. Don’t wait any longer. The longer you wait, the worse the situation can get. Clogged drains, backed up water and gross odors can be an indication that there is something really wrong with your plumbing.
How Can You Prepare Your Home for a Drain Cleaning Service?
There really isn’t much that you have to do during a drain cleaning service. Our licensed plumbers will get the job done in a relatively short period of time. Most drain cleaning services only take at most a few hours to complete. You don’t have to do anything although you are welcome to take part in it. With that said, you can still make the plumber’s job a lot easier by doing the following things below.
#1. Create a Route from the Entryway to the Drains
Depending on the extent of the cleaning, our licensed plumbers will need to bring different types of equipment and tools into your home. Make their job easier by creating a route from the entryway to the location of the drains. Remove large furniture or items that may be blocking their path. For example, if you have young children, make sure that you clean up their toys from the floor. These toys can easily become a hazard.
Also, if the route from the entryway to the location of the drains is hardwood floor or some type of marble tiling, you may want to lay down some cardboard on the floor to prevent scuffing. If the floor is carpet, you may want to lay down some plastic in case of any leaks or if you want to protect your carpets from any dirt, dust or grime.
It’s always a good idea to ask our plumber how much space they’re going to need and the type of equipment and tools that they’re going to bring with them. This will give you a better idea of what to expect.
#2. Provide the Plumber with a Detailed Report on Your Plumbing
Another thing you can do is keep track of the condition of your plumbing, so you can give your plumber a more detailed idea of what’s going on. For example, you might want to let your plumber know the extent of the clog. This might include information like how long it takes for your sink to completely drain, the timeline of when you started to notice that your drains were getting clogged and whether you notice any odd odors coming from the drain.
If you have an idea of what’s causing the clog, you can also let your plumber know. For example, if you’ve noticed that your children have been tossing small objects into the drain, you might suspect that’s the cause. If you’ve been using the garburator for all food items, the clog may be due to that.
#3. Remove Any Obstacles Near the Drain
Our plumbers will also need some space around the drain. Depending on which area is getting serviced, you may want to remove items in the surrounding area. For example, if you are getting a drain cleaning service for your bathroom sinks, you may want to remove any items you have on the counter or underneath the sink. The goal is to give your plumbers as much space as possible to get the job done quickly.
Tips and Tricks on How to Maintain Your Plumbing After a Drain Cleaning Service
Although drain cleaning services are not very costly, you want to make the service last. This means that you’re going to have to make an extra effort in maintaining your plumbing. It’ll be worth it though because your plumbing will last a lot longer, you’ll experience fewer clogs and you’ll also need drain cleaning services less frequently.
#1. Avoid Throwing Any Large Food Items or Chunks Down the Drain
There’s a good chance that your clogged drain is due to some type of obstacle or blockage. This could be anything from a large food item that you’ve tossed down the garburator or even small objects that your children may have accidentally dropped down the drain. Instead of tossing food items down the garburator and hoping that it will wash away, make sure that you put in the extra effort of tossing away any large food items into a food compost bin.
You may not always be able to keep an eye on your children. It’s not unusual for young children to toss their toys or other small objects down the drain. The best solution to this problem is to find a strainer or some type of object that will filter out items that shouldn’t go down the drain. If your bathroom drains are always getting clogged, there’s a good chance that the clog is caused by hair. This is why it’s always a good idea to use a bathroom drain strainer.
#2. Be Mindful of Oils, Butters and Any Types of Grease
Now that your drains are unclogged, be mindful of what you pour down the drain. In particular, make sure that you don’t pour any oils, butter or any other types of grease down your drain because the walls of your plumbing are finally squeaky clean. If you are cooking, you should pour these greases in a bottle and get rid of them separately. If you are cooking greasy foods, like bacon, make sure you scrape away all of the fat into a food compost bin before washing your dishes.
Many experts recommend tossing away the small pieces of food left on the plate or even just scraping away anything that’s left before putting your dishes in the sink. Even small food items can become a problem. In fact, pasta, rice and other starches can harden and get stuck to the walls of the plumbing.
#3. Avoid Drain Cleaners with a Passion
Upon getting a drain cleaning service, you should really avoid using any chemical drain cleaners to unclog your drains. Chemical drain cleaners can cause a significant amount of damage. The chemicals can eat away at the plumbing and cause leaks and cracks to emerge. At times, some of the chemicals may even get stuck in the nooks and crannies of your plumbing. This could lead to other issues in the long run.
If you want to maintain the condition of your pipes, you should highly consider using alternative methods to unclog your drains. Our licensed plumbers can offer you some suggestions on what you can do to unclog your drains while still avoiding chemical drain cleaners.
Call Paul Bunyan Plumbing for Drain Cleaning Services in St. Paul, MN Today
Remembering to get your drains cleaned regularly is an important part of home maintenance. Most experts recommend getting drain cleaning services for your home every two to three years. This service will give you a better idea of the condition of your plumbing, take care of any underlying issues that are emerging and help you maintain your pipes so you avoid future headaches.
Paul Bunyan Plumbing and Drains offers drain cleaning services to Minneapolis and St. Paul, MN homeowners. We offer affordable plumbing services and quality craftsmanship and workmanship. Our licensed plumbers have many years of experience under their belts and have serviced many homes in the St. Paul, MN area. Ask us to give you a reference if necessary. We can also show you photos of our past work. We have over 100 years of experience, and there hasn’t been a single drain that’s too pesky or difficult for us to unclog.
In addition to quality work, you can also find a lot of deals and promotions on our website. To learn more about the services that we offer, give us a call at 952-209-9329. Or, you can directly schedule a service online. Our licensed plumbers will work with you to find a time that fits best with your schedule.
