Drain Clearing: When to Throw in the Towel & Call a Pro
A clogged or slow drain may require professional drain clearing and cleaning in Cincinnati — or not. What it takes to resolve common clogs differs greatly from house to house. Some will be cleared by basic DIY methods while others resist the do-it-yourself approach and require drain clearing and cleaning in Cincinnati. What are the factors that make the difference?
The Clogged Trap
If debris washed down the drain has accumulated in the p-trap—that u-shaped bend in the pipes just below the sink—you may be able to restore proper drain function yourself.
First try a standard drain plunger. If a few rounds of vigorous plunging don’t work and you’re handy, you may try to clean the trap manually. A PVC p-trap can usually be readily removed by loosening the large slip nuts on either side of the trap and pulling the trap down and off the drain pipes. Clean out the trap and reinstall, hand tightening the slip nuts. Check drain function.
If the clog persists, avoid the temptation to pour caustic drain cleaners down the drain which may damage your pipes and cause expensive repair bills. Now’s the time for professional drain clearing and cleaning in Cincinnati to deal with these issues:
Deeper Clogs
Debris past the p-trap, deeper in the drain system, usually resists plunging. Consumer-grade household drain snakes, meanwhile, often aren’t long enough to reach it and/or may not get past sharp bends in the pipe. Professional intervention and equipment is required.
Sludge Accumulation
This gooey concoction of soap scum and grease accumulates in drain pipes and eventually stops flow of waste water. Plunging is ineffective and/or use of a drain snake only pokes a hole in the sludge, which quickly closes again and the clog recurs. A plumber can dissolve sludge with hydro-jetting technology that cleans the inside of the pipe with high-pressure hot water or utilize power-rodding equipment with rotating mechanical blades to scour internal pipe surfaces and restore drain function.
When professional drain clearing and cleaning in Cincinnati is what’s required to clear a clog, contact the experts at Apollo Home Heating, Cooling, Electrical and Plumbing.
