Living in Lake Havasu, it is not unusual for residential homes or commercial businesses to experience clogged drains. Whether your teen poured bacon grease down your kitchen sink, your daughter’s long hair got caught in your bathroom sink drain, or a consumer clogged up your retail store’s toilet, you may need help clearing these drains so you can get back to your life. Contact our emergency plumber in Lake Havasu now.
You might try to initially clear the drain on your own, but DIY efforts often require the time and resources of a highly trained professional plumber. Our plumbers at Plumbing by Jake have the skills and experience needed to clear your clogged drains as soon as possible. Contact our office for a free estimate today or set up an appointment when you call our office to take advantage of our Lake Havasu drain clearing services.
What Is the Difference Between Drain Clearing and Drain Cleaning?
You might be surprised to learn that there are differences between drain clearing and drain cleaning. Let us first take a closer look at what drain clearing is:
Drain Clearing
This involves removing debris or clogs from your drain pipe. This is generally done when a professional plumber uses a drain auger or other tools to unclog drains. Once the drain is unclogged, water can continue to move through the pipes.
However, clogs will often recur in the future due to clog particle remnants. When this happens, you may need to use a drain cleaner or auger or call your plumber again to address the issue. The plumber will use a snake that can break up and pull out the clog using metal blades attached to a strong cable wire, which clears out the drain in the process.
Unfortunately, remnants often continue to be an issue despite snaking.
Drain Cleaning
With drain cleaning, you are thinking about the long-term health of your drains and pipes. Even if you have relatively old drain pipes that get clogged often, when you clean the drains, you can remove anything that may be restricting your pipe’s water flow. This might include debris, grease, or any other clog.
However, drain cleaning is significantly more expensive than drain clearing. This is because professional plumbers need to use a special water hose called a Hydro jet to clear out the clog fully. The water will blast through the pipes at significant speeds that will remove all debris from the drain and pipe walls which means future clogs will not build up as easily.
Although drain cleaning may be more expensive, it is far more effective than drain clearing. When you need a fast solution that will not break the bank, drain clearing is a better option. However, the use of the Hydro water hose is an investment that may be worth your while.
DIY Drain Clearing Options in Lake Havasu
Before you hire a professional plumber in Lake Havasu, you may be wondering Whether you really need the drain cleaning services of a pro. With that in mind, here are some potential DIY drain-clearing options you could attempt to use before hiring a plumber.
However, you should be aware that these DIY tips are not always effective and have the potential to cause further damage if they are not done correctly. To protect yourself and your pipes, you might want to skip ahead and contact our team to take advantage of our dream clearing services and save yourself the hassle.
Create Your Own Solution with Baking Soda and Vinegar
To start, you might try using your own solution using a combination of baking soda and vinegar. Do not mix the materials, but instead pour ½ a box of baking soda down the drain, followed by ½ cup of vinegar. Then, using a metal stopper or cleaning rags, clog the drain up.
Once 30 minutes have passed, use boiling water and pour it down the drain. This may be helpful if the drain in question is caused by soap buildup or grease.
The Ol’ Reliable Plunger
One of the easiest ways to clear out a clog is using the old reliable plunger. These are ideal for clogs that are close to the surface. However, you should only use a plunger if water is filled to the surface before plunging.
Use a Sink Trap
Under your sink is a trap. You can unscrew these PVC plastic traps without needing any fancy plumbing system or tools. However, a pipe wrench can be used to unscrew it if it is difficult to do so by hand.
You can then empty the trap into the trashcan and clear it out using a stiff brush with soap and hot water.
Try a Wire Hanger
Using an old wire hanger could be an effective way to unclog the drain. However, you need to be careful not to push the clog down further, which could worsen your clog. Instead, you need to try to pull the clog out with the wire hanger, not push it further in.
Use a Drain Snake
You can also try to visit your local home improvement store to purchase a drain auger. Also called a drain snake, they can be fairly inexpensive unless you go with an electric option. However, the electric options are also more effective than plastic models.
You can snake the tool into the drain, which will then twist continuously, catching the clog. As you pull the snake up, it brings the clog to the surface, thereby unclogging the drain. However, drain snakes also often leave debris and clogs behind, which may not remove the clog entirely and lead to further clogs in the future.
Save Time and Hire a Lake Havasu Expert Drain Clearing Professional Today
Dealing with a clogged drain can be extremely frustrating. Fortunately, even if your DIY plumbing efforts do not pan out as expected when you need a professional, Plumbing by Jake is here for you. Utilize our Lake Havasu drain-clearing services and preventative plumbing maintenance plans when you call us to discuss your plumbing needs.
Do not deal with a clogged drain longer than necessary. Contact our team for a free estimate or an appointment today when you call our office or fill out our quick contact form.
