What Can Go Wrong When You Try To Unblock Your Drains Yourself

Some jobs are best left to the professionals, and no matter how excellent your DIY skills are, you could end up making a situation worse and causing more damage by trying to do things yourself. As a result of this, a small problem can turn into a more significant problem, with the costs to fix the issue also being more significant. There are plenty of excellent advice you can find from articles available online on the use of drain cleaners, and if you carry on reading below, we will tell you why you need to be careful when it comes to fixing a blocked drain.

What Can Go Wrong When You Try To Unblock Your Drains YourselfImage Source: Pixabay

Chemical Drain Cleaners

It is common for people to purchase a chemical drain cleaner from their local grocery store, and these can be okay for small blockages and ones that are close to the drain openings. However, among problems with a drain cleaner is that these chemicals can be corrosive and can end up damaging sinks and pipes if it is left to sit, so it is essential that if you are using chemical drain cleaners that you can flush them through the system entirely.

Physically Removing The Blockage

You can also try products such as a drain snake, also known as a plumber’s snake, which you can use to remove blockages in your pipes and drains. These can be tricky to use for the inexperienced and you can end up causing more damage to pipes if they are not in good condition. Applying too much pressure when trying to clear a blocked drain can also cause cracks and breakages along the pipe, and you could end up having to call in a professional anyway.

Physically Removing The Blockage in drainsImage Source: Pixabay

Get The Professionals In

If you do end up damaging your drains, you will need to look for a pipe relining specialist covering Sydney, which will be much more cost-effective than digging up and relaying the pipes. Most professional plumbers offering this service will inspect the length of your drains using CCTV and clear any blockages that they find. Using the latest technology, they can then reline the pipe where the problem occurred and fix it with as little disruption as possible. To ensure that you do not have to call a plumber to clear blockages and make repairs regularly, you should also learn how to take care of your pipes and prevent damage from happening in the future.

Taking Care Of Your Pipes & Drains

Taking Care Of Your Pipes & DrainsImage Source: Pixabay

If you take the time to learn what to do to maintain your pipes and drains, then you are less likely to have to call on a plumber in the future, and you can avoid expensive costs. You can add things such as screens in the sinks of your home and catch debris before it falls down the drains. You can also try and soften your water if you live in an area that has hard water, doing so will reduce the mineral build up on the inside of your pipes. You should also never wash grease, oil, or fat down the sink as this can build up and be the start of blockages occurring.

Being aware of what could go wrong when you attempt to unblock your drains yourself or the signs that tell you that you need a professional to do the job will save you a great deal of time as well as prevent bigger problems from occurring.
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7 Plumbing Problems In Old Homes

As time flies, homeowners may seem to forget their homes are aging. A house of more than 40 years old can often bring worries such as plumbing issues. There are various types of common plumbing problems.

Here we come up with seven plumbing problems in old homes that your plumbers commonly see in their service.

  1. Pipe Belly

A pipe belly is formed when the surrounding soil weathers the pipe. They tend to buckle or bow. For pipeline companies, most of the time, the severed bellies in the sewer line are caused by wrong “channeling”. Poor drainage, clogged sink, and slow-flushing toilets result in a clogged sewer line.

Pipe bellies are similar to pipe channeling where accumulated water forms its own channel in the bottom of the piped sewer resulting in a very weak sewer pipe.

  1. Galvanized Pipes

A 20th-century house can be vintage home but still carries charm and sophistication. Galvanized pipes are common in older homes and require constant maintenance from corrosion, drops in pressure and discoloration from the water leak.

  1. Sewers and Sewer Lines

Sewers and sewer lines are usually placed atop old houses and are considered one of the inevitable plumbing problems. Sewer lines move your home’s dirty and black water from drains to the main sewer then it travels on to a primary treatment plant. Sewer lines attract tree roots and are always wet.

  1. Drainage Pipes

Imagine fifty years of soap scum, draining water and sewage can take a toll on your old home’s drains. When it happens, clogs develop from sink drains, kitchen and bathroom sinks are the places where drains are more prominent to clogs. Kitchen sink tends to capture things that should not go down the drain. Fats, bits of food, bone and just about bits of small pieces can go through a sink strainer. Keeping waste out of the sink or installing a garbage disposal in your older home will keep your sink clog-free.

  1. Unfinished Plumbing

You may have had bought a house with three or four owners before you. A 40-50-year-old house may have had plumbing from uncertified plumbers. Questionable repair work may be passed on to you when you buy an older home. Professional attention that gives proper piping and the works can lessen the worries of having more plumbing problems in the future.

  1. Polybutylene Piping

Polybutylene Piping was made popular from the late ‘70s and made a breakthrough to the early 90’s.  It is cheaper and easier to be installed. Polybutylene pipe needs to be replaced always. It was proven that this piping is unreliable and can cause failure.

  1. Leaking Pipes

Older homes experience leaking pipes. Most pipes start from the joints, homeowners should keep an eye out for damp spots on the ceiling and on the ground. Water leaks can be costly and need fixing right away.

  1. Low Water Pressure

Low water pressures are common plumbing problems and are quite frustrating. It can be caused by an old showerhead or a hidden leak somewhere in the pipes. Old homes pipes can get corrosion and buildups. To improve water pressure, it is best to replace old and corroded pipes especially if they are galvanized. 

CONCLUSION:

At first glance, old homes may seem at peace, only after a thorough checking with experts can the problem be properly diagnosed. If you would like more information or you are looking for certified plumbers,  Top Long Beach Plumber can be the answer to your plumbings and pipe repairs. A team of professional plumbers is available 24 hours a day to serve your plumbing needs.

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I might receive compensation if you make a purchase after clicking an affiliate link at no cost to you.  

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