Drain Cleaning Broomfield

Several clear indicators suggest that your plumbing system requires professional attention. Although the average homeowner may not think about his or her plumbing system on a regular basis, when the signs begin to emerge, they can no longer be ignored. For us, the most common signals that someone's plumbing is in trouble are the presence of unpleasant odors, strange sounds, or drains that gurgle. If your plumbing is trying to tell you something, we at Barefoot Plumbing in Dallas, Texas, want to help you interpret the message and understand what it's saying.

How often you need to have your drains cleaned by a professional depends on how much you use them and how well your plumbing is holding up. Most people would probably find it acceptable to have their drains cleaned once a year or every other year, and plumbing professionals often say that this is a good practice. However, some folks have found that doing it more often—like every six months or so—can really help keep the water flowing freely and the pipes in good condition. While this may seem extreme, consider what you might have to pay if a major backup or catastrophe occurs and you call the plumbing rescue team.

Though they are a common go-to for minor clogs, not all store-bought chemical drain cleaners are good to commonly use. They can be too strong, for one, and over-reliance on them can damage not just your pipes but also your plumbing system as a whole. If drain cleaners are indeed your method of choice, it’s best to use them sparingly and only when absolutely necessary. Bailing out of using caustic chemical drain cleaners to clear clogs? Good for you—because those natural remedies and plumbing alternatives that are more effective for more persistent clogs are also safer and friendlier to both you and the environment.

When carried out by skilled plumbers, drain cleaning services are typically safe for your plumbing system. The professionals who undertake these jobs generally understand the plumbing systems they work on and know how to clean a drain effectively without harming the system. They use methods like hydro jetting, which is a safe and effective way to clear a drain. Expert plumbers are also good resources for advice on maintaining a healthy plumbing system so you can prevent future clogs and piping issues.

A professional drain cleaning method called hydro jetting uses a water jet with high pressure to unblock and clear obstructions from pipes. It works well on almost any serious clog and is especially effective on clogs made by tough, close-to-the-pipe materials like grease, hair, soap, and dirt, which together form a hard-to-remove slimy substance. Hydro jetting will work on any serious drain problem that doesn’t contain materials that are better suited to being removed by traditional methods, such as tree roots. However, if anything should become lodged in the pipe upstream from where the jet hits, then the jet might dislodge that upstream obstruction and create a temporary downstream gusher.

Neglecting a clogged drain can lead to various issues, from the mild and annoying to the serious and damaging. In the short term, you might deal with backups, nasty smells, and an unexpected drop in water pressure. Prolonged drain problems, however, can damage your pipes, cause them to leak, or result in a complete rupture that will dump water all over the place. Despite being a worst-case scenario, this should at least give you a signal to get on top of your plumbing problems. Ignoring them can lead to mold, mildew, and all kinds of other health problems that are too gross to think about.

Try some basic steps to solve your clogged drain before calling in a professional. A plunger, used correctly, can do a fantastic job on a clogged sink. If you're not having any luck with the plunger and the problem is coming from the trap and drain portion of the sink, try a drain snake. You can also give a battery of home remedies a shot before calling in a pro: pour a half cup of baking soda down the drain, followed by a half cup of vinegar. Any unsuccessful attempts should prompt you to call in a plumber to avoid possible pipe damage from strong commercial cleaning agents or strenuous mechanical efforts.

To keep future drain clogs from happening, good habits and upkeep are necessary. First, be mindful of what you send down the sink. The kitchen should be a no-grease zone, and the food that makes its way to the disposal should be in small, manageable amounts. All drain systems need entry-level protection, which is to say that hair should never be allowed to enter the system in the first place. And no sludge-producing mix of your plumbing system should ever be allowed to cool down.

Indeed, a number of green drain cleaning options exist that are harmless to both your plumbing and the environment. For instance, using a combination of baking soda and vinegar is a natural way to clear up slight clogs and to simultaneously disinfect your drains. Even more eco-friendly are enzyme-based cleaners that use bacteria to safely munch their way through any organic blockage inside your pipes. And if you need a more serious unblockage, call in a pro. One such pro, using a method called hydro jetting, could clear up your problem using only water.

In a professional drain cleaning service, a certified plumber starts by assessing your plumbing system to figure out the exact cause of the clog. If they're really unsure and the problem seems stubborn, they might even use waterproof cameras for a detailed inspection of your pipes. They're not peeping if they do. They're looking for the blockage or any structural issues that might lead to future problems. Once they have a grasp on the situation, they choose the most effective and appropriate method to reset your plumbing back to normal. After that, they usually give you some solid, no-nonsense tips to help prevent future clogs.