Can I Clean My Drains on My Own?
Drain cleaning is a job that we recommend homeowners have done once a year as part of their regular professional plumbing maintenance. It will help keep drains free of debris and build-up, making for a more dependable plumbing system and a reduced number of annoyances from slow drains and clogs.
But do you really need professionals for this? Why not just rely on a good-old hand crank drain snake? Or a few bottles of chemical drain cleaners purchased from the grocery store?
Yes you need professionals for drain cleaning, and here’s why:
The two methods of “drain cleaning” we mentioned above, drain snakes and chemical drain cleaners, don’t really clean drains effectively.
- A drain snake (a.k.a. drain auger) is actually quite a useful device for quickly getting rid of small and simple clogs. But the drain snake only punctures through clogs and breaks them up. It doesn’t do much more than provide a temporary solution. Debris remains behind in the drain, and it will start to catch more debris and build-up. Soon, the clogs will be back.
- Chemical drain cleaners, on the other hand, are not only not useful, they’re pretty much the opposite! These chemical mixtures consist of highly acidic solutions, which are dangerous to have in the home. Mishandling them can burn eyes and skin, and their fumes are almost as hazardous. On top of that, they don’t do what they claim to! They may break through a clog, but won’t do a thing about cleaning off the build-up on the pipe walls. Plus, the acid can damage the inside of your drainpipes. No professional plumber recommends that homeowners use chemical drain cleaners for any reason.
Professional drain cleaners use special equipment, such as motorized drain augers and hydro-jetters, to provide genuine drain cleaning. Give us a call, and we’ll see that you have dependable drains.
Bud Matthews Services has all your home service needs in Durham, NC.
