Homeowners can experience plumbing issues at any time, and some of them may be simple to handle on your own. There are a few options that explain how to handle clogged drains, and you should try to take care of these problems as quickly as possible before the problem gets out of control.
How Do You Know The Drain Is Clogged?
When you feel that you have a clogged drain, you will notice a few things that signal a drain is close to clogging up completely. When you are in a bathroom drain, your most likely culprit is hair, but you will notice the problem right away. In fact, it is difficult to imagine how hair can clog a drain instead of passing all the way through the system.
You will find that the drain might be clogged when you can smell an odd odor coming out of the drain. You do not need to be an expert plumber to notice this smell, and you should think of trying to unclog the drain while you still can. The smell is the first step in the clogging process because the drain will get worse over time. However, the drain will still be functional. Some people allow these problems to get worse because the drain works, but they do not realize how large the clog can get.
What If The Drain Gurgles?
When you are waiting for the drain to empty, you might notice that it is gurgling. You can hear the noise, and you can see the air escaping the drain as it tries to empty. There are a lot of people who think that this is normal. In fact, some homeowners in Winston-Salem believe that the gurgling sound is the sound of the clog being released. This is not always the case. The last little bit of space near the clog is allowing water to pass through, and the air is rising to the service.
The drain might also gurgle because there are bends in the plumbing that cause clogs to form. This might cause air to get trapped in the rest of the system, and that will cause the gurgling to occur sooner. If you think you have a clogged drain, you should try to clear it out while you still can.
Water Pools And Then Drains
Some people have water that pools in a drain and then empties all at once. Because of this, they think that they have cleared out the drain. You cannot run scalding hot water to clear the drain, and you can be sure that the clog is still there. You need to do something about these clogs as soon as possible, and there are a few tips below that you can use.
Use A Drain Cleaner
You can go to your local hardware store or market to get a drain cleaner. You should try to pour the drain cleaner into the drain while it is not clogged. You do not want it to sit in standing water if you can help it. However, drain cleaners still work if you have standing water in the shower, tub, or sink.
When you pour in the drain cleaner, you need to give it a few minutes to work its magic. You will see the drain begin to clear if you have water standing in the sink. If you do not have any standing water, you can wait until you use the sink or shower again. Make sure that you let the water run slowly so that you can hear it passing through the drain.
Use A Simple Toothed Snake
You can go to a local shop to find a toothed snake that is merely a piece of plastic with teeth that point upwards. You can slide the snake into the drain, and you will find that it hits the clog and pulls up all the things that were stuck in the drain. You can clean those things off, throw them in the trash, and use the snake again. These snakes are durable, and they can be used to completely clear the drain.
Of course, some of these mall snakes are not long enough to reach into the pipes and clear every drain. However, these items are very effective because most drains will form close to the drain cap.
Do Not Use An Industrial Snake If You Are Not Experienced
When a plumber comes to your home or business in Winston-Salem, they can use an industrial snake that they have been trained to use. If you are not familiar with how to use these devices, you could cause damage to the plumbing. A simple clog could turn into a leak or something even worse if you do not know what you are doing.
Contact Us Today
When you know that you have a clog in one of your drains or you feel as though your pipes are clogging too much, you should have a professional come to your home as soon as possible. Please call us or submit a request when you need help. We will send someone to your home as soon as possible, and we can give you an estimate before any work is done. There is no need to live with a clog when you can get it taken care of today. We can also solve any other issues you might have in the house.