Drains are essential to your plumbing system; they remove all the water that was used and the waste too. Sometimes things can end up in your drain that will impair the flow of water which will cause problems for your household. Since there are different things that block your drain, there are also different methods that can be used to remove those blockages. A professional drain cleaning service provider would determine the best one for you but it is always good to know more about the options. Pilot Plumbing & Drain in Battle Ground, WA would like to inform you of the four common methods that are used in drain cleaning services, namely pressurized air, chemical drain cleaners, drain snake, and hydro jet cleaning.
Pressurized Air
The first method that will be discussed is the pressurized air method. This method is useful when the blockage is caused by a bunch of small items and not a singular large item. Drain cleaning service providers will remove any water in the sink. The plumber will place the air compressor with the appropriate attachments in the sink and secure it with a cloth. The cloth ensures that the air or attachment cannot escape. The air has to build up for a couple of minutes before it is ready to travel down the drain. The air will dislodge the object which will travel down the drain. The plumber will remove the air compressor and check if the water will drain. It is common for this process to be repeated a couple of times to make sure that the blockage has been removed. This method is not suitable for pipes that are old and faulty as it can damage the pipes further. It is an environmentally friendly method because you are not using any harsh chemicals.
Hydro-jet Drain Cleaning
Hydro jet is when high pressured water is used to remove blockages. The drain cleaning service provider will inspect your pipes with a small camera. This will help them to determine where the blockage is and what it consists of. If your clog is caused by one of the following things then hydro jetting would be the best option, tree roots, mineral build-up, and grime. The method of using pressurized water is very similar to the pressurized air method. This method is effective at removing blockages as well as cleaning your drain in the process. The high-pressure water is strong enough to remove grime and bacteria from your pipes without damaging them. Pilot Plumbing always recommends a professional plumber conduct drain cleaning services as you can damage your pipes if the stream of water is too powerful or left of the pipe lining for too long. This method is more effective than a drain snake which will be looked at next.
Drain Snake
The drain snake is a very common method and was used a lot before pressured air and water made an appearance. This method is also highly effective when your pipes are not in the best condition. The drain snake is a very fitting name because the tool looks like a snake. The drain snake is made of a long flexible wire that has a corkscrew attachment on one end and a crack on the other end. The drain snake is placed in your drain and pushed until it makes contact with the clog. The corkscrew attachment is pushed into the blockage while the crank is being turned. The clog will get stuck on the corkscrew attachment which will be removed with the drain snake. The drain snake can also break up and push through the bits of the blockage. The drain snake is an easy, quiet tool that can be used for shallow and deep clogs.
Chemical Drain Cleaners
This method is the last one on the list because it is not a good method to use. This method makes use of harsh chemical drain cleaners that can damage your pipes. There are three main types of drain cleaners that can be used to unblock your drains. The first one is an oxidizing drain clean. It contains bleach, peroxide, and nitrate. These chemicals react to organic material and dissolve them through heat and gas that is produced by the reaction. This heat can damage the lining of your pipes. The next drain cleaning chemical that you would get is the caustic drain cleaner. It contains lye and potash. When these chemicals come in contact with grime, it turns the grime into a liquid since and it produces heat. The third one is the common drain cleaner that you find in stores. It is an acidic drain cleaner. These drain cleaners have a high concentration of sulfuric acid or hydrochloric acid. This drain cleaner can be very damaging to metal pipes and should only be used on PVC pipes. It is best to avoid these chemical drain cleaners are there are more effective and better alternate methods.
These four types of drain cleaners are common and it is good to understand the process behind them, so you will know what your drain cleaning service provider is up to. As mentioned above different methods of drain cleaning services are more effective at certain blockages than others. It can be changeling to determine which method will be the best for you thus it is best to hire a professional plumber. If you live in the Battle Ground, WA area and you are looking for a reliable plumber that also provides drain cleaning services then you should hire Pilot Plumbing. They provide a wide range of services that will suit your every need.
If you are in need of drain cleaning services then call Pilot Plumbing & Drain today to schedule an appointment.
