Drain cleaning and sewer cleaning are often used interchangeably, although they refer to two entirely different things. Drain cleaning is the job of a drain snake auger which removes tree root blockages and debris from your drains. If your drainage problems are relatively new, having a professional drain cleaning service perform a regular inspection is a good idea. If your drainage problems are already advanced, however, it is better to clean the pipes yourself. Sewer cleaning, on the other hand, is the more involved task.
If not maintained adequately, your plumbing fixtures can become clogged by tree roots and other matter down there. Tree roots and other matter stick up through the pipes and get trapped inside, causing your drains and fixtures to clog up and stop working. Your plumbing fixtures might also become clogged by grease, and other matter stuck themselves, as well as any other type of clog. Clogs in your plumbing fixtures happen more often than you might think. According to the American Water Works Association, more than 25 billion gallons of water are wasted each year because plumbing fixtures are blocked.
When your drainage system is clogged, it can be challenging, though not impossible, to access the pipe that’s clogging up. To unclog drains, you have to access the actual drain plug. Sometimes the plumber can’t get to the access point, which is why it’s important to call him for drain cleaning services. In some cases, he won’t be able to get to the plug, in which case you should at least have the drain cleaned by a professional plumber. (If the plumber can’t unclog your drain, he’ll usually recommend that you install a permanent solution, which is something like unique drain stoppers that can be stuck on top of the pipe and clog the drain permanently.)
There are many disadvantages to using hydro-mechanical drain cleaners, however. First of all, they don’t remove all the material they’re placed upon. Suppose you use one of these solutions without doing the appropriate damage to the pipes underneath and to the fixtures themselves. In that case, you might end up with a backup problem: the chemicals left behind will eventually corrode the pipe. These chemicals are incredibly corrosive, even in small quantities, so they could potentially ruin your piping, your appliances, or worse. Drainage clogs can also be hazardous.
The good news is that there are other options available to you. You don’t need to deal with problems with roots, clogs, or other forms of clogging to keep your drains, lines, and fixtures running smoothly. One of the best solutions for sewer cleaning services like drain cleaning Osprey, FL, is a root barrier. This system consists of a plastic fence (or some other material) that’s installed along your sewer line, and it keeps roots from getting under your drains and pipes and entering your home.
Root barriers aren’t the only thing you can do, though. A good plumber can also unclog your drains and pipes with something called an ozone machine. Ozone is commonly used in fire prevention around the home, as it’s an effective deodorizer and flame retardant. When used in plumbing applications, ozone is highly toxic. However, a plumber can attach an ozone tank to a jet of water spraying from the drain cleaning nozzle, which means that the ozone gas is released into the pipes where it works its evil magic.
You might also want to consider trenchless pipe and root barrier systems for drain cleaning services in your basement. These systems are designed to prevent roots from trenchless pipes clear of obstructions. While most basement waterproofing contractors will recommend these systems, they’re not a mandatory component of every course. If you decide to use them, make sure that you get estimates from more than one plumbing company to know what your options are. It’s usually a good idea to have two companies inspect your drains, since they have different ways of assessing damage and what, if any, benefits your basement plumbing system might have from a full renovation.