When it comes to home maintenance, people love to find out tips and tricks or fun facts, which is why probably you’re reading this right now. Such ideas can be acquired from friends, family, or in most cases, the internet, and tend to be popular among many people.
Drain cleaning is not an exception to these ideas. While there are some helpful tips or interesting approaches relevant to drainage maintenance, some are just a fad and hold no real sense. Today, we’re debunking those myths together. Here are four truths about drain cleaning that you need to know right now:
1. Drain cleaning can’t always be DIY
Many people believe that drain maintenance is as simple as changing a lightbulb and that there’s no need for the expertise of a professional plumber. While it is true that some troubleshooting can be done on your own, drain cleaning should not exclusively be a DIY project.
As with any area that requires proficiency, there are plumbing issues that necessitate the knowledge of the pros. Unless you’re an expert yourself, it’s best to seek the advice of plumbing experts when your drainage systems start showing problems.
2. Chemical cleaning agents won’t always do the job
Many people think that chemical cleaning agents will solve their clogging problems every time, which is false. Clogged sinks or drains doesn’t always mean that there are dissolvable substances within the drain. Pouring chemicals will not always solve the clogging problem. In fact, using these solutions can make matters worse.
Chemical cleaning agents corrode the wall lining of the drain pipes. The surface of these walls are scraped, and flecks will start to accumulate within the pipe. Over time, the drain pipe can weaken, leading to possible leaking, and in the worst case, bursting of the pipes.
3. Replacing sewers that back up may worsen the problem
Another popular belief that’s untrue is that when dealing with a sewer that backs up, a replacement is in order. Truth be told, there’s a high probability that replacing the sewer won’t solve the problem. It can be frustrating to replace the entire septic tank—which, by the way, will cost you a lot of money—only to find out that it’s ineffective after all.
When you encounter a sewer problem, you need to identify the cause first. In some cases, the real problem is located elsewhere. While a sewage backup is pretty common, it can be hard to pinpoint the exact cause. When it all becomes too complicated, you can always call your local plumber to determine the source of the issue for you.
4. Snaking isn’t guaranteed to clear all types of clogged drains
Snaking is effective for small clogs, and it is not meant to clear larger clog sizes. Snaking is ineffective and practically inefficient to conduct on pipes with bigger collections. When you force a snake through this larger clog, it will only clear some part of it. Furthermore, doing so can push the clog further down the drain, making it a lot more difficult to address.
Conclusion
It’s easy to believe something, especially if you think it won’t do you any harm to try. However, some myths can make your situation worse and cause more inconvenience in the long run, just like the ones mentioned above. Now that you know about these drain cleaning myths, you’re better equipped to make decisions when you encounter some plumbing problems in the future.
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