What to Do, and What to Avoid, When Your Home Has Persistent Plumbing Clogs
Posted on: 2 December 2016
Persistent plumbing clogs should not be ignored or overlooked; while an occasional clog is often to be expected, persistent clogs often signal damage to the pipes that should be addressed by a plumber. The outside pipes may be cracked and allowing in sediment, or the pipes may be clogged with something that is simply not going to ever get drained or flushed away. Note a few things you can do when your home has persistent plumbing clogs and a few things you also need to avoid so you don't make matters worse.
1. Stop pouring chemicals into the drain
Chemical clog removers are very caustic to your pipes and can actually make matters worse over time, as they cause corrosion around connectors that can allow water to leak out. If water is not flowing through your pipes when you shower or flush the toilet, solid matter can then get caught and cause a long-term clog.
2. Try a snake
Snaking out a clog is always better than trying to clear it with chemicals; be sure you use the smallest snake available so it doesn't get caught on plumbing pipe connectors. A snake may encounter some resistance as it needs to work through a clog but if it seems to get stuck, you don't want to try to force it. This can mean that the material clogging the pipes is too thick and is wedged into the pipes too securely to be freed with a snake, and trying to force the snake through can mean pressure on the pipes and the risk of breaking them.
3. Have the pipes cleaned
Sometimes the pipes of your home simply need a good blasting to remove sediment and solid materials that are clinging to the pipes and slowing down the flow of water and solid waste. A cleaning will help scrape away or blast away that sediment so your pipes are clear once again.
4. Get a picture of the pipes
If everything else has failed, you may want to have a plumber get a picture of your home's drains and pipes. This involves a tiny camera that is mounted on the end of what looks like a plumbing snake. This camera can help a plumber to see if there is something solid in the pipes that is causing the consistent clogging, if the pipes are broken in any area, or if there is other damage that is not going to be cleared by snaking or pipe cleaning.
For more information, contact local professionals like Nu-Jet.
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