DIY Drain Cleaning Errors

DIY Drain Cleaning Errors

Having a clogged drain can be frustrating, and not just because it prohibits you from using your sink or your toilet as intended. It’s frustrating because, to many homeowners, it seems like it should be a simple and easy fix, even though it often isn’t.

To be sure, there are times when you can clean out your own clogged drain. Your first line of attack should always be the trusty plunger. Whether you’re dealing with a clog in the kitchen sink or in the commode, a plunger is the very best tool for DIY drain cleaning jobs.

But what if the plunger doesn’t work? If you have some experience in plumbing, you may be able to use an auger or some other implement to work on your drain. Frankly, though, amateurs who attempt to unclog their drains are as likely to do further damage as they are to make meaningful repairs.

As such, it’s likely best to just call in professional plumbers. Certainly, you want to avoid doing any DIY “repairs” that might leave your plumbing in worse condition than before. A few particularly common—and particularly dangerous—drain cleaning errors include:

• Using a garden hose. Believe it or not, many homeowners think that the extra pressure of a garden hose will help unclog their drain. The best case scenario here is that it will make a huge mess; the worst case scenario is that it will damage your pipes.
• Using chemical drain cleaners. These, too, can be a mess, and often don’t really work: When you’re dealing with a solid obstruction, chemical drain cleaners simply aren’t powerful enough to do any good.
• Using coat hangers and other household implements. Fishing a coat hanger or other household object down your drain is going to be maddening, for one; ineffective, for two; and likely to result in the object getting stuck in the drain, for three!

But again: Even using something like a drain auger is going to be hit and miss, and for those who are inexperienced with drain cleaning, the potential to damage the plumbing is very real.

The best course of action for homeowners with clogged drains is to call in the pros when the plunger fails. Our own team of drain cleaning experts stands ready; contact us to help meet your drain cleaning needs!