WHAT TO DO WHEN YOUR DRAINS ARE BLOCKED OR NEED A CLEANING

WHAT TO DO WHEN YOUR DRAINS ARE BLOCKED OR NEED A CLEANING

The drains of your home are like the arteries of your body. They are essential for carrying vital materials, but if you don't look after them, they get blocked and cause severe problems. Some are easily remedied, but prevention is the best cure. However, you can call in the doctor when home solutions won't do. We are happy to handle your emergency drain cleaning and plumbing issues.

Licensed and locally owned, we have been in the plumbing industry for several years. We handle jobs of any size, and customers are our top priority. We are here to provide services to Los Angeles and its surrounding areas. We can always help you, but try the following tips for cleaning your home's drains before calling us.

TRY REMOVING DEBRIS WITH TOOLS

The most common tools are drain snakes and plungers, which vary in size and shape. Modern plungers come in various forms with pressure levers that can help release blocked pipes. When body hair causes a drain to clog, you should insert a drain snake into the narrow tubes and untangle hairs attached to the up-facing barbs. 

However, this can be tricky and requires patience and time for the procedure to succeed. But with a bit of practice, you will be able to remove more stubborn debris from your bath and shower drains.

POUR DOWN SOME DRAIN CLEANER

To clean your drains, you can simply pour down some off-the-shelf drain cleaning chemicals. Bleaches and acids are generally used in drain cleaners, but they take some time to work and may need to be left overnight. Eventually, though, any biological materials clogging drains are removed. 

However, it can sometimes take a few days before the clog is cleared. You can speed up the process by pouring in hot water, eventually dissolving the clog. These chemicals are hazardous and should not be used by or around children. 

CONSIDER CALLING THE EXPERTS

Plumbing problems are no match for our handymen. We take care of spills, toilet leaks, installations, water heater repairs, blocked drains, black drain, garbage disposals, and even gas lines. Our plumbers at Rooter Shield are never afraid of problem drains and pipes.

Hydro-jetting can clear clogs and blockages in your drains by using high-pressure water. Our engineers use special devices with strong water pressure to eliminate the tougher pipe and drain issues, including calcified blockages and tree roots. 

However, you can help yourself with the following simple maintenance tips for the home.

PREVENT MATERIALS FROM ENTERING THE DRAINS

Debris and organic materials enter your drains whenever you use your water-based systems such as the bath, shower, or washing machine. Such materials become trapped and build up over time. Fortunately, you can prevent most excess with some simple methods:

• Use a trapper: bath drain trappers sit around the drainage hole and catch materials.
• Rinse the pipes: Rinse your washing machine pipes on a hot wash with limescale tablets.
• Flush regularly: flush a few times during your solid toilet use.
• Don't drain oil and fat: Never pour these in the drains. They dry and solidify to cause blockage.
• Minimize what you drain: scrape plates of food and only put tissue paper in the toilet.

You can significantly reduce the chances of blocked drains with these simple prevention methods. Essentially, it is helpful to be aware of what you put in your drains and wash them regularly. For example, hot rinse your washing machine every three uses to clear the pipes.

DON'T OVERUSE THE GARBAGE DISPOSAL

Garbage disposal is a complex machine, but it is frequently misused and blocked. There are many reasons, but people stuff garbage disposals with materials they shouldn't. If you can, throw your garbage in the trash and recycle it where you can. However, garbage disposals are challenging to maintain because they are misused. 

This results in them trapping rotting food and clogging drains. A foul odor in the home is a common sign that the garbage disposal or drain is blocked. Make sure you clean your disposal regularly and avoid using it excessively.

CALL US ANY TIME

Because of our experience, we understand that pipe issues are serious and need to be addressed immediately. So you can call us any time, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. We are timely, proficient, and continuously provide the best service possible. In short, we get the job done.

Contact us for your plumbing and drain needs:

Phone: 818-691-6582

We currently serve the city of Los Angeles and its surrounding areas in Burbank, Glendale, Northridge, Simi Valley, Chatsworth, Van Nuys, Woodland Hills, Westlake, Encino, North Hollywood, Granada Hills, San Fernando, and Calabasas.