Three Items That Should Never Go Down The Drain

August 30th, 2014 Posted in Clearing Clogged Pipes
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It’s easy to pour all kinds of liquids and even some solids into your sink without thinking twice. This especially holds true if you have a garbage disposal, as it’s so convenient to just scrape plates and pans into the drain, then flip the switch. However, although it may work some of the time, putting the wrong items down your drain could be doing major damage to your plumbing. Here are three items to never put down the drain or in your garbage disposal.

  1. Grease or oil. Any fatty substance will cause a problem in your plumbing. Grease and oil may go down easily when they are in liquid form, but they tend to cool and coat the inside of your pipes and garbage disposal. Over times, this gooey substance will collect debris and create a clog or jam up your disposal. Keep all grease, oil and other fatty materials out of the drain.
  2. Produce. While a soft banana or pea can easily be chopped up in a garbage disposal, their shells or peels cannot. Keep fruit and vegetable peels out of your disposal, along with any hard produce such as carrots or other root vegetables.
  3. Harsh cleaners. Any strong chemical can erode plumbing pipes, gaskets and other plumbing fixtures. Don’t put any harsh chemicals down your drains, including the chemical clog removers marketed as being designed for plumbing. These cleaners can do expensive harm to your plumbing on their own, plus can have chemical reactions with one another, causing more harm than good in the long run. For severely clogged drains and small problems alike, call in your local plumber to safely remove the clog and protect your plumbing.

Posted on behalf of Seagraves Plumbing Septic and Sewer

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Confused About Remedies for Clogged Drains or Blocked Sewer Pipes?

June 6th, 2013 Posted in Clearing Clogged Pipes
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There are several remedies available today to help you with your clogged drain or blocked sewer pipe, but which one should you use? Of course, a drain cleaner would be a first choice for the average homeowner. However, that could be anything from a chemical compound to a handheld auger, from a home remedy to an airburst cleaner, from an electric drain cleaner to a high-pressure water sewer jetter, or, finally, an enzymatic drain cleaner.

Consumer product drain cleaners are chemical compounds that are either alkaline (in solid or liquid form) or acidic (liquid) in composition. Their main function is to open drain clogs of either hair or grease that typically lie close to the drain opening. They are less effective for clogs that are farther down the line, such as that which occurs in toilets or main sewer drains. Augers, manual or electric, are often used for those more problematic clogs, but the estimated distance of the clog and the augers potential damage to ceramic surfaces can be a concern.

Airburst cleaners can also break up clogs that are farther from the drain opening and are faster acting than typical chemicals; however, they work best in “standing water” situations and are ineffective on main sewer drains. High-pressure hydro-jetting is effective for most large clogs in drains and sewer lines and can be done by a professional plumber.  Enzymatic drain cleaners are used to maintain clear drains, since they consist of bacteria and enzymes that react to dissolve forming residue.

If you have concerns about your plumbing drainage system that go beyond the quick and easy, consumer product solution, it is always best to have your local plumbing professional inspect your system to ensure that all is in good working condition.

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Clearing Clogged Drains With Hydro Jetting

August 2nd, 2012 Posted in Clearing Clogged Pipes
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For decades, plumbers have been clearing clogged drains using a plumbing auger, a flexible metal cable with a cutting head on the end.  The plumbing auger is fed into the clogged pipe and spun at high speed by an electric motor. The auger cuts through whatever is blocking the pipe such as tree roots, grease, paper products, and other debris.

Drain augers work great for clearing many types of clogged pipes, but they have some limitations.  In many cases, they cannot completely clear the clog.  Instead, they punch a hole in the clog which allows the pipe to drain, but the part of the clog left behind will collect debris and a new clog will eventually form.

High pressure hydro jetting is a more recently developed tool for clearing clogged drains.  Hydro jetting uses a spray nozzle and high pressure water (about 3,000 to 4,0000 psi) to cut through tough clogs and blast away the debris that accumulates on the inside of drain pipes.

Hydro jetting is effective on most types of clogs including tree roots.  Unlike a traditional drain auger, hydro jetting will remove the entire clog and flush away the debris.  The high pressure water will scour the inside of the pipe and leave it in almost like new condition.  Restaurants and other businesses often use regular hydro jetting to keep their drain lines free of grease and other clog causing material.

Regular, routine hydro jetting is probably overkill for most residential applications, but it can be a great way to clear a persistent clog and get your drain lines flowing freely again.

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