Best Charlotte Drain Cleaning Advice

Nobody wants to deal with clogged drains or clogged pipes. You can prevent drain problems by taking simple preventative measures, recognizing signs of impending problems, and taking action to clear drains when they just begin to be clogged, instead of waiting until the problem is serious.

Prevent Drain Problems

You can prevent most drain problems simply by watching what you put down the drain and by clearing the drain yourself periodically. Hair, oil, food scraps, heavy paper and mineral build-up associated with hard water all cause problems inside pipes.

To prevent these problems, follow these simple rules:

• Wipe the grease out of pans (and throw the grease away in the garbage) instead of pouring it into the sink.
• Don’t trust your garbage disposal with vegetable peelings, chicken skin and bones, egg shells and the like. They usually get broken down into small pieces that then plaster themselves inside your pipes, lining your pipes much like plaque build up inside arteries.
• Place drain guards in shower and kitchen drains to catch hair and debris.
• Once a month, use disposable Zip Its (plastic drain cleaners that cost about a dollar) to remove hair and gunk from your drains.
• Once a month run hot water and baking soda (about one cup per drain) down the each drain. Follow with one cup of vinegar. Finish off with hot water.

Another Cause of Clogged Drains: Corrosion

When pipes corrode, clogs form. Things that go down the drain get caught on the corroded insides of the drain, sticking to the inside and building up until a true clog forms.

Most corroded pipes are caused by water with low or high pH, the presence of salts or sulfates in the water, suspended solids (sand, rust), the use of excessively hot water, bacteria or chemicals, and improper installation. If corrosion goes too far, pipes burst.

One Last Cause of Clogged Pipes: Tree Roots

If your pipes corrode and spring even a teensy tiny leak, thirsty tree roots force their way into the pipe, widening the crack and filling the pipe with tree roots. This completely clogs the pipe, often deep under the ground or out in your hard.

Know the Symptoms of Clogged Pipes

Early warning signs of a clogged drain are:

• Slow draining of water
• A gurgling sound in your toilet
• Water unexpectedly appearing on the floor or in a bathtub when running laundry
• Water bubbling up in your yard

Know When to Call a Drain Clearing Professional

You will want to first try flushing the drain with hot water and baking soda, or plunging the clogged drain with a plunger. You can also use a snake, but be careful not to use a power auger unless you’ve been trained (you can hurt yourself or damage the pipes). Whatever you do, don’t use chemical drain cleaning products - they usually do not work and make it very dangerous for you or the plumber to clear the drain.

Need a Charlotte Drain Cleaning Service?

Give us a call at 704-269-1066 or use our contact form to schedule an appointment. We’re open 24/7, 365 days a year, so we can deal with the problem right away at a time that is convenient for you.

We also don’t give fake coupons like the ones that quote really cheap prices per drain (read the fine print - they limit the drain clearing to a few feet into the drain because they know most clogs are much deeper than the number of feet listed on the coupon.) We have a great reputation (check out our testimonials and see) because we charge fair prices and get the job done right. If the clog is deep in the pipe system, under slab, or in your yard, we also take care of the property restoration.

Give us a call! We look forward to helping you out with that clogged drain!

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Article Summary

Quick question & answer: What are the best ways to prevent drain problems in Charlotte?

The following are the best ways to prevent drain problems in Charlotte. Wipe grease from pans instead of pouring it down the sink. Don’t trust your garbage disposal with vegetable peelings, chicken skin and bones, and eggshells. Place drain guards in shower and kitchen drains to catch hair and debris.  Use disposable Zip Its to remove gunk from drains.