One of the biggest mistakes you can make as a homeowner is to wait too long to call a plumber for drain cleaning. People often overlook signs that their drains need cleaning, and this results in costly repairs. By knowing when to call a professional about your McHenry plumbing, you can make all the difference. 

Prevention is Key

When it comes to your health, you probably focus on prevention. Your brush your teeth every day to avoid cavities, and you exercise to keep your heart healthy. Once a year, you may go to the doctor to get a check-up. These preventative measures keep you healthy and catch problems before they get too bad.

Your plumbing also needs some preventative care. If you think about it, your plumbing system takes a great deal of abuse. Everything that goes down your drains ends up in your system, including grease, hair, and soap scum. If you don’t practice a little prevention, your plumbing will have serious issues.

A drain cleaning is one of the keys to preventative care. When you hire a company for plumbing drain cleaning services, they can spot major clogs in the system. More importantly, they can use the best and safest techniques to remove those clogs. Even if you didn’t have a major blockage in your line, a small clog eventually worsens. It takes a deep cleaning to get the debris out of your plumbing. 

Can You Handle Clogs on Your Own?

You might also be wondering why you need to call a plumber for clog prevention or elimination. Can’t you just remove the clog yourself? In short, the answer is no. As much as you may want to save money and handle your plumbing problems alone, there’s no substitute for working with a plumber.

The first thing most people do for a DIY drain clean is grab a chemical drain cleaner. While this may remove a clog, it may also remove some of the integrity of your plumbing system. The harsh corrosives in chemical drain cleaners result in weaker pipes, and this could lead to a leak in your plumber.

Even a drain snake could do damage. If you have an old home, the pipes in it might break with the slightest resistance. Pushing a drain snake through your plumbing could rupture your plumbing and leave you with a sewage leak. Because a plumber has extensive training and access to tools like video cameras, they can safely inspect and clean your pipes without causing damage.

Signs It’s Time to Cause a Plumber

As part of regular plumbing maintenance, you should schedule an annual plumbing inspection. But there’s more to taking care of your plumbing than that. You could need a drain cleaning at any point, depending on what goes down your pipes. If someone puts a foreign object in your toilet or you have too much food in your kitchen sink drain, you may need to call a plumber.

All of the following are reasons you may need to call a plumber for a drain cleaning:

Odors from Your Drains

If you notice foul odors coming from your drains, there’s a problem. Although you send waste water through your drains, the water shouldn’t smell because it flows through your system. You will only smell an odor if the water and sewage don’t drain the way they should.

The next time you notice a foul odor in your bathroom or kitchen, don’t be so quick to pull out the Lysol. Instead, call the plumber and ask them for a drain cleaning. There could be an easy way to eliminate the odor and clear up your plumbing.

Gurgling Noises

As a general rule, your plumbing should be relatively quiet. The exception to this is hearing gurgling noises from your plumbing. If you hear a noise as water flows through your sink or shower, call a plumber for a drain cleaning. The noise is more than a minor annoyance.

Fruit or Drain Flies are Around

You could find fruit or drain flies in your plumbing for no reason. However, there’s also a chance you have fruit or drain flies because there’s a clog. The insects are attracted to rotting food and debris, which may be lingering in your plumbing.

Addressing your plumbing clog won’t just remove the clog. It should also eliminate the flies from your home unless you have fruit and other food around. By scheduling a drain cleaning, you can kick these pests out of your home.

You Have Slow Drains

When you run your sink or shower, the water should immediately drain out. But this isn’t always the case. If the water seems to drain too slowly, you have a problem and may be experiencing a blockage. The only way to speed up your draining water is to clean out your drains.

Once again, a slow drain isn’t just an inconvenience. It’s also a red flag that you have a blockage in your plumbing. You could ignore the warning sign, but the clog will persist. 

How A Plumber Can Help

So what exactly can a plumber do to clean out your plumbing? A plumber who specializes in drain cleaning has several tools to inspect your plumbing and clear out clogs. Depending on your needs and your plumbing, your plumber will choose the most effective method to clean out your plumbing. 

The work usually starts with a video inspection. If you want to know where your clogs are, you need to identify the problem areas. Once the inspection is finished, the plumber can tell which method would be the best way of removing the clog or clogs.

Taking Care of Your McHenry Plumbing

Here at J. Blanton Plumbing, we want to take care of your plumbing system. We provide drain cleaning services as well as other plumbing services. Whether you suspect a clog, need an inspection, or just want routine maintenance, you can call us. To find out more about how we can help, reach out to us today. Our team is standing by, ready to assist.