drain clogs

Safe drain cleaning methods for Collinsville, IL home & business owners

September 5, 2018 by cmpdigital

Use these safe and effective methods for drain cleaning!

Whether you’re at home or at work, drain clogs are never a welcome sight. In fact, they can cause serious headaches for anyone that needs to use the restroom or the kitchen. Additionally, you’ll be tasked with figuring out how to clear the drain, especially if you don’t want to call a plumber. In these situations, many people turn to chemical, store-bought drain cleaners to solve their problems. However, what you’re not told is how ineffective and even damaging these cleaners can be. Harsh chemicals can erode pipes and even contaminate the water supply. With this in mind, check out our list of safe and effective drain cleaning methods you can use to get your system running again!

Plunger

The easiest way to unclog your drains is to reach for the plunger. Whether it’s the bathroom drain or kitchen sink, a plunger can be useful in removing minor clogs. A plunger forces more pressure into the drain, which either dislodges the clog or forces water upwards. Either way, you’ll have a better understanding of the severity of your problem.

Drain Auger

If the plunger doesn’t work, the drain auger is your next step. This tool also called a drain snake, is long and used to probe down into the pipes to clear blockages. Augers are sold in small sizes and large-commercial sizes depending on the severity of your issue. Unfortunately, a household drain auger may not be sufficient for larger clogs that are deeper in the system. For that scenario, you may need commercial help.

Natural Drain Cleaners

Natural drain cleaners can actually be highly effective, depending on the clog and its location. Usually a mixture of dish soap and hot water or backing sod and vinegar, natural drain cleaners won’t hurt your system. Therefore, you can try all you want to clear the clog without experiencing the negative effects of chemical drain cleaners. Unfortunately, household solutions won’t be enough for serious drain clogs.

Water Pressure

Another great method for minor clogs is simple water pressure. For Kitchen sinks, you can use the sink hose sprayer, turned all the way up to hot, to shoot water down the drain. Many times, this will clean out any partial blockages that may be causing slow drains.

Call a Plumber

This is the safest way to remove any drain clog. Whether it’s minor or major, a licensed plumber will have the tools and experience to find the clog, fix it fast and have your system back up and running in no time!

Columbia, IL Plumbing: Common Drain Clog Warning Signs

September 3, 2018 by cmpdigital

Use these tips to identify a drain clog

Major plumbing problems are every homeowner’s worst nightmare. Whether it’s burst pipes or a clogged sewer line, cleanup can be messy, and repairs can be expensive. However, many plumbing problems are exacerbated by ignoring small, noticeable problems. When it comes to your plumbing system, it’s important to repair things quickly – neglecting repairs you need could be a huge waste of water, which will surely show up on your next water bill. With this in mind, here are the most common drain clog warning signs that you should watch out for!

Slow Drains

This is the easiest and most common way that people are alerted to a drain clog. If you’ve ever noticed the water in your sink or tub drains too slowly, this means that there is a partial blockage somewhere in the system, and you need to be careful about what else you put down there. This could lead to a full blockage and a fairly expensive service call from a plumber.

Multiple Clogged Fixtures

Did your basement toilet, kitchen sink and laundry basin get clogged all in the same week? This is a sign that there’s a larger clog, that’s holding things up, somewhere in your system. This is more of a sign of a major problem, and you should be contacting a plumbing professional for sewer inspection and drain cleaning services!

Toilet Problems

Your toilet is your most direct access into the drainage system. When you notice problems with your toilet, many times, it’s actually an issue with a drain clog. Whether your toilet takes too long to fill up or a flushes strangely, bring your concerns to a professional plumber before you cause more damage!

Water Backup

Has your sink ever filled up without ever running the faucet? Do you awake some mornings to find your shower floor covered in a layer of water? When plumbing fixtures back up, it’s because there’s nowhere else for the water to go. When drain clogs make progress impossible, grab a plunger or drain auger, or pick up your smartphone to search for local plumbers and solve your problem fast!

Odorous Drains

Are things noticeably smellier when you’re standing by your kitchen or bathroom drains? That’s because there’s stuff that’s caught and decomposing in your pipes. A quick call to your local plumbing professional will have the clog found and removed in no time!

Leaking Pipes

Notice water spots on your ceilings? Wet floors in your utility room? Clogs can cause pressure in pipes to build up, which can ultimately cause leaks and even complete pipe bursts. If you notice leaking, it’s obviously not a sign that your system is running smoothly. Call for professional help to get things moving again!

What Are the Most Common Drain Clogs in The Fairview Heights, IL Area?

May 23, 2018 by cmpdigital

Pipe blockages and drain clogs can be a severe problem throughout your Fairview Heights, IL home. A minor issue can become a frustrating, costly problem if you do not address drain clogs in a timely manner. Below are common reasons why drains in your home can become clogged and what you can do to help prevent clogs from forming.

Drain Clogs

Kitchen Clogs

The kitchen sink seems like a good place to dispose of cooking oils, food debris, fat, coffee grinds, and soap, among other things. However, many of these items cause clogged pipes. For instance, you may assume that soap would never cause a drain problem, but you would be wrong. Soap scum and detergent can accumulate in the pipes, causing eroded pipes.

Be very careful what you place down the kitchen drain. Run hot water down the drain for several minutes if you place food debris or liquids down the drain. You may also want to use a routine drain cleaner to keep clogs from forming. Our plumbing technicians can recommend products you may want to use.

You should also read the garbage disposal’s user manual for tips to prevent clogs and backups related to the disposal.

Bathroom Clogs

Soap is another problem in the bathroom too. Most soaps contain considerable amounts of lotions, fats, or grease. The soap scum clogging your bathroom drains can erode pipes just as it can in the kitchen. You also have hair and grease from body oils that can bind together to cause a clogged drain. Using drain covers can help prevent hair from going down the drain to form clogs. Also, you may want to use the same drain cleaner from the kitchen periodically in the bathroom too.

Another item in bathrooms that can cause a drain to backup is toilet paper. Too much toilet paper can clog drains and prevent toilets from flushing. A plunger can usually take care of the problem, but if the plunger does not work, the clog may be further down the line. A plumber may need to run a device into the line to clear the clog.

Laundry Room Clogs

Again, soap can be a culprit, but not as often in the laundry room. Most detergents do not have the same oils, grease, and lotions as other types of soap. However, you may use liquid fabric softeners that could bind with other items to cause clogs. In addition, dirt can also clog drains. To reduce the risk of a clogged drain, shake the excess dirt and mud from clothing before putting it into the washing machine.

Drain Clogs throughout the House

Other causes of clogged drains throughout your home include:

Mineral Buildup

The minerals dissolved in hard water can build up over time, causing clogs that block drains. Some homeowners install a water softener to help with the problem. However, if this is not an option, you can contact our Fairview Heights, IL plumbers to discuss drain cleaning. Because mineral buildup can be difficult to remove once it is established in your pipes, you may need a professional plumber to clean clogged drains and remove the mineral buildup.

Objects

Surprisingly, it is not just children who drop objects down drains. Small objects that find their way into your drains can cause huge problems in your plumbing system. An experienced plumber can locate and remove the item before making necessary repairs and performing drain cleaning.

Tree Roots

If your drains backup inside your home, the problem could be outside your house. Tree roots encroaching into a sewer line can cause the system to back up throughout the entire house. Sewer cleaning services from a Fairview Heights, IL plumbing company may correct the issue.

Call a Fairview Heights, IL Plumbing Company for Help

If you have problems with clogged drains, the plumbing professionals of Morrison Plumbing, Heating & Cooling can help. Our plumbers perform all services related to drains, pipes, and sewers including, drain cleaning, sewer cleaning, clogged drains, sewer installation, and plumbing repairs.