When to Get Your Drains Cleaned

No matter how hard you try, your drains will never be kept clean as long as you’d like. There is simply too much that goes through them, and eventually there will be a buildup of grease, hair and other debris clogging your plumbing that needs to be cleared out by a professional. Here are a few signs to watch for that will let you know it’s time to have your drains cleaned.

Frequent Clogs

Clogs can happen for any number of reasons even to relatively new and clean plumbing systems. Usually this is caused by the wrong substances going down your drains. Cooking grease can solidify and plug a drain, and foods like pasta and rice can expand and cause similar problems. A single clog that gets cleared out is not a serious problem, but frequent clogs definitely are.

If your drains are clogged more often than not or you notice that water is draining slowly in your sinks or bathtub, it’s most definitely time to have your drains cleaned. This is especially true if you have an older septic system as it is a common sign that your system is failing and needs to be replaced.

Foul Smells

For obvious reasons, drains and toilets will smell bad from time to time, but foul odors should go away as soon as whatever is causing them goes down your drain into your sewer line. On the other hand, there may come times when some of your drains smell like a sewer even when you aren’t using them. This is usually due to a problem in your sewer line, and it should be dealt with as soon as possible.

You Haven’t Cleaned Your Drains Recently

Your home’s drains should be cleaned regularly if you want them to stay in good working order and avoid problems. Whether it is dealing with a Utah winter storm or the hot summer son, the last thing you want is a backed up drain.

How often you have them cleaned will depend on how often they are used and on the age of your plumbing, but having them cleaned at least once a month should keep them running smoothly for years to come. You can do some of the cleaning yourself by using tools such as plumbing snakes or cleaning solutions, but if you haven’t had your drains cleaned or inspected by a professional plumber recently, you should probably schedule an inspection sometime soon.

It’s also very important to remember that plumbing is far more complex than many people realize. There are plenty of minor plumbing problems that you can handle yourself, but you should never hesitate to call a local plumber if you have any issues you aren’t sure you can fix by yourself.