How to detect early signs of drain clogging to avoid bigger problems

Healthy homes comprise of a properly functioning drainage system that drains out wastewater from homes. The major part of the drainage system is concealed underground or behind the walls, and we hardly feel its presence as it keeps on draining water efficiently. However, there are times when drains can give problems if it gets choked and its power to remove water from the system diminishes. Malfunctioning drains can result in accumulation of dirty water both inside and outside homes and pose serious health problems as harmful bacteria spreads all over the place. Clogged drains can be a nightmare for the residents as one fine morning you might find the basement flooded or the toilet is overflowing with nasty waste and making life miserable.

Early detection helps

Although professional plumbing services can expertly deal with clogged drain Toronto, you must not allow the situation to go so far that it starts affecting the health of family members.  You must always keep watch on the drainage system and try to detect early signs of choking or leaking so that timely action can help to avoid any hazardous situation that threatens healthy living. The importance of a properly functioning drainage system is paramount, and you must learn how to know that some problem is brewing that might aggravate if neglected. Besides, you have to understand the probable causes of drain choking so that you can be alert and take some pre-emptive action to prevent the system from malfunctioning.

Stay alert

Timely repair or cleaning of the drainage system ensures that the system functions efficiently. Keep a close watch at the drain points and inspect it regularly. If you detect anything unusual, look into the reason to be sure that it would not affect the functioning of the system. For example, if you observe that the kitchen sink is taking more time to flush out water, it is a sign of clogging of the pipeline. You must take immediate steps to clean it.

Similarly, if you experience a gurgling toilet, seek help from professional plumbers to identify the cause of the problem and rectify it so that the system functions properly. Smelly drains are the early signs of problems in the drainage system, and you have to act fast to set things right. However, there are situations when despite your best efforts to maintain the system correctly, problems might crop up.

Inculcate good habits

Since the majority of plumbing problems at home arise from the drainage system and can pose serious health hazards, you have to be pro-active in maintaining the drainage system to avoid any problem.  Clogged drains can cause massive inconvenience if you allow the problem to persist, but there are some simple steps that you can follow to prevent it. Some of our habits are responsible for clogging drains, and if we can change such habits, many of which are pretty irresponsible acts, it can help to eradicate the problem from the roots. By practicing some good habits in taking care of the drainage system, you can avoid the inconvenience and cost of repairing or cleaning drainage systems.

We often commit some silly mistakes, knowingly or unknowingly that adversely affects the functioning of the drainage system. Avoiding the mistakes go a long way to ensure that the drainage system keeps functioning satisfactorily and makes life easy for all. 

Pushing and poking at drains can worsen the problem

When drains take time to remove water from the system, it is a sign of clogging. The clog has happened at some specific place along the pipeline, but you cannot detect where it has occurred as it is invisible. In such a situation, we often tend to clear the blockage by using some improvised tool like a long piece of stiff wire that can move through the orifice of the drain. We keep pushing it inside with the hope that it would drive away whatever has stuck in the pipe. While you might have all good intentions in doing the job, the method is not at all correct. Your action will be counterproductive because the clog would move down further and perhaps become more compact too, thereby aggravating the problem. It might then be tough to get rid of it.

The problem increases due to the use of an improper tool or some homemade device that is not suitable for drain cleaning. There are some tools created explicitly for drain cleaning, and you must use such tools only. Trying to clean drains by any other means will compound the problems and escalate the cost of cleanup that will take a longer time too.

Use the right chemicals

Although drain cleaning might appear to be very simple, it requires proper knowledge about the tools, methods and cleaning materials that are effective. You must use the specific chemicals meant for cleaning drains because making a wrong choice can prove costly. Selection of wrong chemicals can damage pipelines and create leaks that only aggravate the problem even if it can dissolve and remove the clog. All drain cleaners do not act in the same way, and you must know which is right for your purpose. Some chemicals might work fast but puncture pipelines that could be hard to detect due to the concealed pipes. The leakage can damage the building extensively, and by the time you discover it, the damage has been done.

Inspect regularly

The secret of maintaining the drainage system is to detect problems early. It means that you have to inspect the drains regularly so that the early signs of problems do not escape your eyes. Instead of waiting for the problem to show up, gather hints about drain clogging early and eradicate it before it can cause any inconvenience.  If there are any issues with the flow of water, call for professional help to find out the reason and resolve the problem. It is the only way to avoid bigger problems catching you on the wrong foot.

Expert plumbing companies best handle drain cleaning and trying to do it on your own can do more harm than good.

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