Keeping your drains clean helps you to avoid clogs and keep your drains in good condition. Drain cleaning is often something people think they can do themselves in order to save money on hiring a plumber. But is this a good idea? Some home tasks are better off left to the professionals, and ones that involve plumbing tend to fall into this category.

While you can do DIY drain cleaning, let’s look at some reasons why you should call the professionals instead.

Store-bought drain cleaners

Your first port-of-call for drain cleaning would likely be a store-bought drain cleaner. While these may seem effective at clearing clogs, they can actually do a lot of harm to your drains and pipes. They might even make it so that clogs are more likely to occur in the future, due to the damage that takes place.

Other solutions

There are some other at-home solutions you could try to clean and clear your drains, such as pouring hot water down them or a solution of baking soda and vinegar to dissolve any accumulated material.

These are safer options for your drains compared to store-bought drain cleaner, but they still won’t be as effective as calling a professional plumber for drain cleaning. A professional drain cleaner will have the right tools and know which techniques to use for your drains so that they are kept clean and are less likely to clog in the future.

What can you do?

Even if you leave the drain cleaning to the professionals, there are certain things you can do to keep your drains cleaner for longer, and clear of debris. Here are some simple tips to always follow:

• Never pour grease or cooking oil down your drain
• Scrape leftover food debris into the bin before rinsing your plates
• Throw out coffee grains instead of rinsing them down the drain
• Place a sink strainer over your drains to catch food and other debris, preventing it from washing down the train. Clear the strainer regularly to keep water flowing and draining properly.

If your drains regularly clog, then it’s time to ditch the DIY drain cleaning and call a local plumber. Once it’s been fixed, then keep up the tips above to keep your drains in good condition, so that they don’t keep clogging.

If you need drain cleaning or other plumbing services around Forsyth, Davie, Davidson, and Guilford Counties, then contact us for a variety of plumbing services.