Paul's Plumbing Tips

Why a Homeowner Should Never Address Serious Plumbing Clogs on Their Own

As a homeowner, it's actually good to learn how to manage some everyday home repair and maintenance tasks yourself; you can then avoid the expense and the wait of having to call a pro for simple and minor repair jobs. However, there are times when it is best to call a professional to tackle certain repair work around the house, even if you consider yourself very handy and have a nice selection of tools at your disposal! Consider some reasons why serious plumbing clogs are one such job that you should always leave to the pros.

You'll damage the pipes

Damaging plumbing pipes is a lot easier to do than you may realize; one reason for this is that older pipes may already be somewhat corroded and weak, so adding caustic chemicals or trying to force out the clog with baking soda and vinegar can cause that damage to get worse. You can also easily catch connectors and ends of pipes with a snake, if you don't know how to use it properly. The homemade method of clearing clogs by adding baking soda and vinegar, as mentioned, can also be tricky if you don't know how to control the foaming action, and you might wind up with dirty water, raw sewage, and foam all over your bathroom floor.

Pipes aren't clogged for the reasons you think

Don't assume you know what's stuck in a toilet pipe or bathtub drain, as you might be surprised to find out the real reason for a clog; for example, your home's plumbing pipes might be coated with grease and oil that allow solid matter to cling to the pipes, creating clogs. The property's external pipes may also have cracks that have let in dirt and mud and even tree roots, and these may be clogging the pipes. Trying to clear these types of clogs with a plunger, chemicals, and other such methods may be very ineffective.

To avoid wasting time and to avoid damaging your home's plumbing pipes, call a plumber for serious clogs; one of the first things they might do is run a CCTV camera down the drain. This is a very small camera that sends the plumber a video of what's inside your home's plumbing pipes. This will tell them the reason for the clog, and also allows them to inspect the pipes for any signs of damage or corrosion. They can then determine the best method for clearing the clog and note if your home's pipes need repair or replacement to avoid future clogs. For more information, contact companies like Nu-Jet.


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