Most home owners spend little time thinking about their drains, but when a stoppage occurs, it can be frustrating. You don’t know how it happened, nor do you know how to fix it.

There are a variety of reasons that a drain can become clogged, and much of it depends upon where the stoppage occurs. Unlike plumbing pipes, drain pipes have no pressure. They are slightly inclined and use gravity to move the waste. They begin at a specific point such as the kitchen or bathroom sink. The drain pipe then extends to the main drain line that extends out to the street. This is where the main sewer line of the city is located.

When you see only one drain clogged, it is because the stoppage occurs before the drain pipe connects to another pipe. Sometimes all the drains will be clogged. This will mean that there is a stoppage that occurs in the main line to the street.

There are different ways to clear the stoppage. The most common is the use of a drain cleaning machine. These consist of long flexible rods that rotate as they are pushed through the drain. They have cleaning fixtures on the ends to ensure the drain is cleaned as well as the cleared of the stoppage. 

There are large versions of these machines designed to clear the main line. Often this line is clogged because of the roots of trees nearby. Over time the roots grow through small seams in the piping connections and debris collects on the roots causing a stoppage. These drain cleaning machines can be equipped with cutting blades to break through the roots.

Most stoppages occur simply because drains need to be cleaned from time to time. Build up of waste in the line will occur, and you will need the drain pipe cleaned. The main line, however, is another issue. A persistent problem can be from trees and other vegetation. If this is the case, the trees will have to be removed, or a cleanout can be installed.

If you are experiencing a slow or clogged drain, do not attempt to clear it yourself. Simply contact All About The Pipes Plumbing, and they can clear the drain as well as make future recommendations for your drainage system.

Many homeowners do not realize the importance of having clean pipes throughout and around the entire house. Leaving pipes untreated can lead to foul smells or more importantly waste backup, which can lead to high expenses in repairs. Before shelling out unnecessary costs for broken or damaged pipes, consider how regular cleaning by professionals can help save money and eliminate all headaches or worries.

Prevention vs. Cure

Especially when it comes to sewer pipes, it is always more cost-effective and safer to prevent a problem than to cure one. If pipes are not flowing smoothly or there are odors in the water then this is a tell-tale sign to evaluate the current condition. A severely damaged sewer pipe will not only cost a high amount to repair but there is also risk of sewage contaminating the water supply. Even in a newly built home, there can always be issues with the pipes that can lead to complications.

Getting the Job Done

At times it can be confusing to decide whether to clean pipes on your own or hire a professional to get the job done. Especially when it comes to underground pipes, it is not wise to try the repair yourself. There can be no telling what other issues are present and the lack of proper equipment will limit you to what can be done.

Don’t just go with an inexperienced company but find one like All about the Pipes Plumbing Inc. and get the best treatment and maintenance available. Making the wrong decision to either do it yourself or hiring just any company you find will end up costing more money and wasting valuable time. All work relating to pipes should be handled by professionals with extensive knowledge on the entire industry and not just one area.

Disastrous attempts at home plumbing repairs make for a laugh on TV, but they're not funny when they happen in real life. The flip side, though, is the dismay of spending hard-earned money to have a plumber do something you could have done far less expensively yourself. How is a homeowner to decide which is the wiser choice?

A slow drain is usually caused by a build-up of gunk. If you see an obvious way to remove a trap and fish out the gunk, go ahead. Follow up with a commercial or home-remedy clog remover. Once the obvious solutions have failed, it's time to call a plumber. Repeated attempts to unclog a drain can damage the pipes.

The same goes for toilets. If simple plunging isn't doing the job, there's a problem that needs to be identified and tackled by somebody with know-how.

Drips are another common household problem that people try to fix themselves. If you have made minor home repairs successfully before, a leaky faucet might be a good job for you to tackle, perhaps with guidance from a book, web site, or home-repair store. If you have doubts, watching a plumber make the repair this time can help you judge if you can do it yourself next time.

Any sign of leaks along the pipes themselves, such as dripping, rust, or white mineral build-up, is evidence of a problem that will only get worse. Trained experts like the folks at All About the Pipes can fix everything up as good as new.

Welcome to the source for local Charlotte information related to plumbing in the queen city. With over 15 years behind my belt in all kinds of plumbing related installation jobs and services, I'm hear to answer your charlotte plumbing questions. Looking forward to talking more. 

Best regards,

Chris