Worcester Drain Cleaning: When Pipes Back Up

Code Brown! When Pipes Back Up

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“Talk about disgusting! I have never been so grossed out in my entire life!” Mary Ann Lane, a Worcester mother of three, said.  “I don’t know what the kids put down the toilet, but they did something.  Race cars, McDonald’s toys, they love to watch it all disappear down the drain. I’m surprised it didn’t happen sooner!” The it that Mary Ann is talking about was a backed up toilet that flooded her small upstairs bathroom, sending water and worse things spilling into the hallway, soaking the carpet, and creating all sorts of chaos. “I tried to fix it with the plunger, but that just wasn’t happening!”

A backed up toilet, clogged sink or slow draining bathtub may send you running for the plunger, but the truth is that a plunger can’t fix everything for you.  When the plunger doesn’t work, many homeowners turn to the harsh chemical drain cleaners that are available at grocery or discount stores.  They can work, but if they don’t, it may be time to call your Worcester plumber.  Trying to resolve a clog on your own requires a certain amount of knowledge, including identifying what the material blocking your pipes is and what is the best way to resolve it.

How do you know what’s clogging your pipes? 

Consider the location, and think about what things – besides water – are going down the drain.  In the kitchen, grease is the most common problem.  When grease is warm, it’s a liquid, and it slips easily down the drain.  However, once it cools off, grease solidifies.  This blocks your pipes, making it impossible for water to get by.  The old home remedy of pouring hot water down the train to clear the clog can work – but only for a while, as all you are doing is moving the grease further down the pipe, where it will once again cool and solidify.

Moving into the bathroom, grease gives way to the oils and fats that are in so many of the toiletries we use every day: shampoo, soap, shaving cream, bath oils, bubble bath.  These all can contribute to bathtub and bathroom sink clogs, as, of course, can hair.  If you wash your dog in the tub, you’ve got another great source of clogs!  The toilet can be clogged by everything from diapers and feminine hygiene products to the toys a fast moving toddler wants to see flush away. These objects can be particularly troublesome clogs, as they don’t dissolve the way organic matter does. Chemical drain cleaners and organic solvents don’t do much to remove Thomas the Tank Engine when he’s parked in your sewer drain!

It may be possible to remove the clog yourself. 

The plunger is a great first choice: every homeowner should have one.  By using suction, it’s sometimes possible to dislodge the clog.  Ideally, the debris will continue to its intended destination or be removed by the homeowner: simply shifting its position will let the water run but you haven’t fixed the problem.  Chemical drain cleaners work in some instances, but many homeowners prefer not to handle such toxic substances themselves.  Organic enzyme cleaners are a green option, but they require a great deal of time to work and may not be the way to resolve an emergency situation.

Your Worcester plumber can save the day. 

Because plumbers deal with clogged pipes on a regular basis, they know how to perform drain cleaning quickly and efficiently.  They have a wide range of tools and strategies to allow them to unclog your pipes in the appropriate manner.  They also know how to clean your drains without damaging your home or making a big mess – not something that every home handyman can promise! Do your research, ask friends for references, and look for a plumber who puts a high value on the quality of their  work and the speediness of their response to your call. When your toilet is backing up into the upstairs hall, you don’t want to wait hours – even days! – for someone to get back to you.

Eliminate headaches ahead of time with preventative drain cleaning. 

Your Worcester plumber can perform regular drain cleaning as part of your household maintenance routine.  Avoid headaches and protect the investment you’ve made in your home.  The peace of mind alone will make the expense well worth it – especially compared to the cost of an emergency service call!