For those that have followed our blog for awhile, you know that we often highlight individual fixtures throughout the house. From tips on maintaining your water heater to advice on which faucet brands to consider, there is certainly no shortage of topics centered around plumbing fixtures to discuss. However, it goes without saying that drain cleaning is one of the most popular plumbing services our team offers each and every year. Not to mention, it also tends to be one of the first things people associate plumbers with!
On today’s blog, we’re going to be looking at a few different scenarios where it would likely be a smart decision to invest in professional drain cleaning services. As is the case with many plumbing issues, the longer you let it sit, the worse the problem will likely end up getting! And trust us, there is a significant difference between a minor plumbing problem and a major one. With that all being said, let’s answer the question, “Do my drains need to be cleaned out?”
Do you have slow drains?
The most obvious sign that something is brewing inside of your drain lines is when you start to notice everything draining much slower than normal. Whether it be the drains for the sink, bathtub or anywhere else, our drains put up with quite a bit of wear and tear on a daily basis. Bathtub/shower drains can accumulate hair, soap scum and various other debris, thus leading to slow drainage. If you’re not careful what goes down the kitchen drain, certain things like grease, coffee grounds and pasta can wreak havoc in no time. Toilet drains are obviously a no-brainer on what they can and can’t handle. Toilet paper and human waste, that’s it! Long story short, there are a number of things that can create clogs in your drain lines. As mentioned above, the best piece of advice we can provide is to avoid procrastinating on the drain cleaning aspect. If you start to recognize that it’s much slower than normal, chances are it’s going to continue to get slower and slower before you could be faced with a bigger problem!
Are you starting to notice some funky smells coming from the drains?
If the slower-than-normal drains didn’t raise any red flags, there’s a strong chance that an unpleasant odor will do just that! It’s important to understand that smelly drains can be a result of a few different things. First and foremost, they could simply be clogged up. We discussed in the previous section how several of the various drains in a house can end up with blockages. Well, when this happens, everything you put in your drains after the fact can end up accumulating as well within the clog. Whether that be food particles or any other type of debris, it’s no surprise that this wouldn’t smell the best after sitting for a few days!
Another potential culprit of a bad smell coming from your drain could be the p-trap. The p-trap is located underneath the sink and will almost resemble a “U”-shaped pipe. The most notable purpose behind this component involves preventing sewer gases from finding their way into your home. What may seem like a rather simple piece actually serves an important purpose! One way in which it blocks the sewer gases is by holding a little water in the curved part of it. Unfortunately, if your p-trap happens to go dry, trouble could ensue. While a dry p-trap could occur due to a few different reasons, we wanted to make sure to highlight that as a potential cause of smelly drains.
Are you experiencing multiple drains backing up?
Each of the points mentioned above are largely focused on individual components getting clogged up, thus leading to not the best of smells and slow-moving drains! When you start to experience multiple drains backing up at the same time, you could be looking at a much more severe problem, as it could be related to your sewer line. Furthermore, when you have multiple back-ups occurring, it’s not hard to see the potential consequences capable of arising. Mold and other types of contamination are strong possibilities. While you may be able to clear this with sewer line cleaning, there is going to be the chance that you’ll need to repair or replace part of the sewer line itself. We’ve covered the topic of sewer line failures before on the blog, but to sum it up, there are a few different causes of sewer line troubles. Tree root infiltration is a real problem that affects homeowners in older neighborhoods with larger trees. In addition, sewer lines can fail simply due to old age or the material breaking down over time. In any case, a sewer line replacement can be a significant project and if you’re concerned about the current state of yours, it would be a smart move to get a professional plumber out to take a look! They should have the ability to run an inspection camera through the lines to see what exactly is going on, as well as the exact location of any breaks in the line!
Any odd sounds coming from your drains?
Thus far in this blog post, we’ve touched on a number of different drain issue warning signs that are rather easy to recognize. Funky smells, slow drains and frequent back-ups are nearly impossible to miss and hopefully will prompt you to call in a professional to take a look! However, one last situation we’ll discuss today is when you start hearing strange noises coming from the drain and it’s safe to say this will catch your attention right away too! In particular, when there’s an issue somewhere in the drain line, there is going to be the possibility of hearing a type of gurgling noise. Whether that be due to a minor clog or something more serious further down in your sewer line, it is not normal for your drain to be making weird sounds! As referenced with each of the points above, drain line issues can vary greatly in terms of severity. If you’re unsure whether you have a minor or major problem on your hands, it’s always going to be wise to have a licensed plumber thoroughly inspect the pipes. They’ll not only be able to answer the question regarding the severity, but can also help locate where the issue resides!
Drain Cleaning Services in Kansas City
As mentioned in the opening paragraphs, drain cleaning is a service that our plumbing technicians provide consistently throughout the year! No matter if it’s in a residential house or a commercial facility, there are simply too many drain lines throughout that experience constant wear and tear on a daily basis. When you start to notice things that aren’t normal (such as slow drainage or bad smells) popping up, it’s important to get those addressed in a timely manner. These are perfect examples of plumbing problems that you don’t want to put off.
Our business, Stine-Nichols Plumbing, is located in North Kansas City, MO, but we provide plumbing services to the entire Kansas City area and many of the surrounding cities. From drain cleaning and water heater installation to re-piping and so much more, we strive to be your go-to source for all things plumbing. To get in touch with our team, give us a call at (816) 348-3481 or fill out the form HERE. We look forward to hearing from you!