My Drain Company Blog : Posts Tagged ‘Drain Clog’

What’s That Gurgling Sound from My Drains Mean?

Monday, May 9th, 2016

One of the ways to tell that your plumbing system is experiencing problems that may require the services of a licensed plumber is when you hear unusual noises. For example, sharp clanging sounds—known as water hammer—often warn that the pipes have lost their air cushion.

One of the more common warning sounds you may hear from your plumbing is gurgling coming from the drains. We’ll look at what this might mean. (more…)

Steps You Can Take at Home to Prevent Drain Clogs

Friday, December 12th, 2014

Drain clogs are never a fun thing. They make your water appliances unusable, send up gross backflow, and it’s just a pain to get rid of them. So, how do you stop them from happening? That depends on the drain, but in general the idea is pretty simple: don’t put things down the drain that can get stuck down there. Let’s take a look at some specific locations, and the things you can do to stop them from getting clogged.

Shower/Bathtub Drains

These drains get clogged less than other areas of the house, but it still happens often enough to warrant some precautions. The number one cause of shower and bathtub drain clogs is hair. One or two strands here or there is no big deal, but over time hair can catch in the drain and accumulate until it becomes a problem.

The first thing you want to do is check your drain periodically. Hair that makes it past the cover over most shower and bathtub drains often collects on the crossbars below. It may be gross, but you can just pull out most of the hair with your fingers if you spot it on the drain itself.

You can also try pouring boiling water down the drain every couple of months or so. This loosens anything that might otherwise be building up inside the drain. Run some warm water for a few minutes afterwards just to make sure that everything is cleaned out.

Sink Drains

Clogged sink drains are usually caused by a clogged garbage disposal. With all the junk that most of us put down there on a regular basis, it’s no surprise that it gets clogged sometimes. The best way to avoid a clogged sink drain is to be careful what you put down the garbage disposal. Never put grease of any kind down the disposal, as it can solidify and gum up the drain. Bones and other hard objects are a bad idea as well. As long as you’re careful, it should be fairly easy to avoid a clogged sink drain.

If you have clogged drains, call My Drain Company. We provide plumbing services throughout Glendale.

The Best Way to Treat Drain Clogs

Friday, July 18th, 2014

The title of this post is a bit misleading, since there is no single “best” way to treat a clog that has blocked up a sink, shower, tub, or other drain. There is a “worst” way, as we’ll explain. However, the “best” way will depend on the kind of clog you have. If you leave this job to experienced, professional plumbers, they will discover the best way to handle the specific clog, and will have your drain cleaned out quickly and without damage to the plumbing.

For any drain clogs you have afflicting your plumbing, call up the drain experts at My Drain Company. Our experienced plumbers will bring a variety of the best tools to clear out your drain, no matter what has blocked it up.

The Worst Way to Treat Drain Clogs

The one way you do not want to treat drain clogs—and a way that professional plumbers will never use either—is with chemical drain cleaners. Found in plastic bottles on the shelves of grocery and convenience stores, these acidic chemicals are too harsh to use on drainpipes. They may eat through blockages (although they are ineffective against many types of clogs), but the caustic action can cause damage to the pipe interior. They also leave toxic residue and dangerous fumes behind. Avoid using them at all costs.

Some of the Best Ways Professional Plumbers Will Treat Clogs

  • Video pipe inspection equipment: This won’t eliminate a clog, but it is the best way to find out what method will. Using miniaturized cameras mounted on the end on long fiber-optic cables, plumbers can observe the interior of your plumbing on a video monitor and learn exactly where blockages are located and what they consist of. This allows them to determine the speediest and most effective way of clearing the clog.
  • Drain augers: Also known by the more evocative name drain snakes, motorized drain augers are one of the essential tools of any professional plumber. These coils of metal can reach down far into drains and drill into clogs like corkscrews, then pull out the clog or break it up to clear out the pipe. Manual augers are available in many stores, but you should only entrust the work to a plumber who uses a motorized drain auger.
  • Hydro-jetting: This is one of the most thorough and comprehensive ways of clearing out drain clogs and cleaning the inside of plumbing in general. Hydro-jetters are devices that put water under high pressure and then blast it out at scalding temperatures through a line inserted down into the pipes. The scouring action of the pressurized water stream can blast through almost any clog and remove build-up from the interior of the drainpipe to help prevent more clogs in the future.

The Northridge plumbing team at My Drain Company is ready 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to assist you with clogged and slow drains. We will find the true “best” way to clean your drainpipe and keep the clogs away.