Clogged Drains: When You Need a Professional Plumber

Christopher L.

Clogged drains are not something you want to have at home. Although it may seem minor, a clogged drain could turn into a big thing if you don’t address it immediately. Usually, it happens when you’re not at home or at the most inconvenient time. Before you panic, take a breather and check out some of these tips that can save you from a major inconvenience.

Assess the Problem

Before you do anything drastic, assess the problem first. You might want to check if something got flushed out the drain—perhaps, an object? It’s best to assess the situation first; after all, you know your drains pretty well.

Try Simple Methods

If you’re prepared to do something about it, stick to simple methods like removing the drain cover and pulling out whatever’s blocking it. Don’t be too quick to reach for the drain cleaner because if you don’t fully know what you’re up against, you could cause more damage to your pipes.

If you have metal pipes, pour boiling water down the drain to loosen the mild clogs. On the other hand, if you have PVC pipes, you can use an enzyme and bacteria-based de-clogger to address the problem.

If the clog is in your sink, it’s best to disassemble and clean out the trap first. Make sure to have a basin under the sink to catch the debris and other elements.

If these methods don’t work, then it’s probably time to take out the plunger or auger. These tools can loosen the clogs.

Call the Plumber

Do you think you have something major going on? Don’t even try to DIY it. Instead, call a plumber to address it. The pros know exactly what to do and can contain the problem even before it turns into a huge mess.

This is also crucial if the main drain is the one that’s clogged. Only a professional can handle this job.

Confused? Here are some signs that it’s time to call a plumber:

When you have more than one drain that is backed up
You smell sewage in the air
The plunger isn’t working
When you don’t have a drain snake on hand

Prevention Is Key

Why wait for clogged drains? The good news is, you can do some preventative measures! The easiest thing you can do is implement a rule in your household that only water and natural waste go down the drains. Tissue, paper towels, and other sanitary supplies must go directly to the trash.

Cooking oil and grease should be disposed of properly, which means not down the drain! Instead, dispose of them using a newspaper and throw them into the garbage. Finally, make sure all food scraps go to the trash and not down the drain.

Doing these things will save you a major headache when it comes to your drain.

Handle Clogged Drains Properly

Knowing these things is important to ensure you don’t make things so much worse. If you think a clogged drain isn’t something you can handle, the safest route is to call a plumber. It might cost you, but it will cost you more if you try to fix it yourself.

Got drain problems in the middle of the night? We have a 24-hour plumber here at All City Plumbers! Let our well-trained and highly qualified plumbing technicians in Birmingham solve it for you. Contact us!