DIY Drain Cleaning

Plumbing and pipes can be broken down into three parts:  bringing water in, transporting natural gas to key parts of your home, and draining the waste/excess water away.  Drainage is the source of many plumbing issues.  From clogs to backups, draining problems can cause havoc in a home.  Many individuals use (do it yourself) DIY draining cleaning solutions but we suggest caution when doing such.

DIY Drain Cleaning Clogs

Should you find that your water and/or waste is not draining or it’s real slow, then you will look to find a solution.  You may also want to consider doing regular monthly maintenance to avoid pipe buildup.  The following are a couple of do it yourself solutions that may work and are relatively cheap:

• Baking Soda and Vinegar:   When you mix the two in equal parts into the drain and leave it overnight then you can rinse it out with hot water the following day.  You will find that this will unclog most drains.  This is a good solution for monthly maintenance.
• Hot Water:  Another technique is to just pour a large volume of hot water at once followed by colder water.  This can often work.

Be Wary of Commercial Drain Cleaners

Commercial drain cleaners can generally be split into two types.  One type uses chemicals and the other uses natural enzymes.  The former is usually very good for severe clogs but they are likely going to harm the pipes.  The natural solutions are good for regular maintenance but aren’t as effective for handling tough clogs.

Alternatives to Drain Cleaners

Since drain cleaners have limitations or potential harm, we often recommend having a couple tools on hand which would be effective for unclogging your drains.

• Plunger:  A common tool most households have is a plunger that can be effective for many small clogs.  Most of the times, these work great with mild toilet backups.
• Snake:  There are different level of snakes but you can get an inexpensive one from your local hardware store that handles most localized clogs. These are quite effective but they will be limited by the distance to the clog.

Limit Clogs

There are certain types of materials that commonly cause clogs.  We recommend against putting any of these down the drain:

• Grease
• Oil
• Egg Particles
• Bones
• High Fiber Foods
• Coffee Grounds
• Pasta
• Potatoes
• Tampons
• Paper Towels
• Hair
• Wipes – Even Flushable Ones

Schedule Today

If you have a drain issue that you are having trouble with, contact the expert plumbers at Landa Plumbing, serving Walnut Creek and the surrounding cities.