Brooks Plumbing Co. Blog: Posts Tagged ‘Drain Cleaning’

Signs that You Need Professional Drain Cleaning

Friday, February 27th, 2015

When you clean out your bathroom, you try to get every nook and cranny. You can scrub the grout, bleach each corner of the tub, and reach behind the sink faucets with a small brush, but there’s one area of the home that you may never reach on your own: the drains. The drains extend all the way to the sewer line, and there is likely debris clinging to the lining of your drain pipes that you cannot clean yourself.

It’s important to remember as well that typical drain cleaning chemicals sold in stores are not a viable solution for clogged drains. In fact, these chemicals are some of the most toxic things available for homeowners to purchase. They are very harmful to your health if ingested and may cause injury to the skin and eyes. Furthermore, they can damage pipes, and they really don’t get rid of most of the things that lead to clogs.

Cleaning Slow Drains

Slow drains or drains that will not work at all deserve professional attention if a plunger will not do the trick. Plungers are some of the only safe items sold for drain removal, while plumbers have much larger equipment for clogs that are located further along in the pipes. As soon as you notice that your drains are not working properly—especially if it happens in multiple drains in the home—professional drain cleaning is the best option to keep backup from occurring.

Plumbing professionals have drain snakes that reach deep into the pipes to pull out clogs or to break up the blockage so that it can move down the pipes. Many experts use video cameras to assess the pipes in order to determine what type of tool to use and where the blockage is located, to repair the problem more accurately and quickly.

Schedule a Drain Cleaning

You may also choose to schedule drain cleaning in order to take preventive action against clogs. When there are minor blockages in your pipes, it may not be immediately apparent. But experts will inspect your pipes in order to make sure that there is no major blockage that could lead to a big clog in the future, and remove any blockage they can.

Call us today at Brooks Plumbing for quality drain cleaning in Tumwater.

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Tools Professionals Use to Clean Your Drains

Friday, November 7th, 2014

Chances are, you’ve had the misfortune to encounter a drain clog at some point in your life. If this happens in the shower, you’re left standing in a pool of dirty water. And if a drain clog occurs in a sink, even a small task like brushing your teeth becomes quite a chore. A lot of the time, homeowners rush out to buy anything that will make the clog disappear, including plungers and drain cleaning liquids.

While plungers are a great way to knock clogs loose from the drain and send them down the pipes, blockage further away from the drain opening may be too far for a household plunger. And chemical drain cleaning solutions are not safe for your pipes and are toxic to humans. Professional drain cleaning is the way to go for a particularly tough clog, using tools that won’t harm your pipes and take care of any type of obstruction. Let’s take a look at some of this equipment.

Small Drain Augers

For some clogs, a plumber will simply insert a drain auger into the drain opening in order to pull out the clog. These are long pieces of metal or plastic with a rigid or coiled end that will latch onto most types of clogs.

Large Motorized or Hand-Cranked Drain Snakes

Drain clogs that are located deep down in the pipes can affect multiple drains. Most plumbers are also equipped with large drain augers (or drain snakes) that can be fed through the pipes either via a crank or automatically with a motor. These may have a coiled end for clog removal, or additional detachable components. A plumber may decide to switch out the coiled end for a sharp tool to try and break up tougher clogs like tree roots and send them down the pipes.

Video Pipe Inspection

One of the most important pieces of equipment that professionals use is video pipe inspection. Before a plumber can begin to decide which type of tool to use, they must know the location and type of blockage. Technicians feed a long wire with a fiber optic camera at the end so they can view a live feed and decide on an appropriate course of action.

Looking for a quality plumber in Olympia? Call Brooks Plumbing for thorough professional drain cleaning services.

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Don’t Trust Store-Bought Solutions for Drain Cleaning

Monday, June 9th, 2014

It’s unfortunate that the bottles of chemicals on store shelves advertised for use on drains are called “liquid drain cleaners.” That makes them sound like legitimate methods of cleansing your bathroom and kitchen drains of clogs and any other obstructions. But ask any plumber for his or her opinion on these store-bought chemicals and you will hear the same answer: liquid “drain cleaner” should never actually be used on drains. Instead, other professional tools like plungers, drain snakes, and hydro-jetters should be brought in to do the job.

We’ll go into detail about why you should leave the drain cleaning bottles on the shelf and instead call for professionals to handle drain cleaning in Olympia, WA. If you want fast and dependable service, make your first call to Brooks Plumbing, where we take pride in “Quality in Everything We Do.”

The problems with chemical drain cleaners

  • They can damage your plumbing: To break through various kinds of clogs, these chemicals must have very acidic action, and it is strong enough to corrode pipes. Older pipes are especially at risk; however, newer PVC pipes are in danger of softening and eventually breaking apart. A single application may not hurt, but this is a problem that accrues over time. Residual amounts of the chemicals will remain in your drains even after you wash water down them, and the heat they release can boil the water in the drains. Drain cleaners may cost very little to purchase, but the eventual costs to repair the damage they create can be steep.
  • They can expose you to toxic gases: When you dump a whole bottleful of chemicals down the drain, it releases toxic gases that you may not initially notice except as a powerful antiseptic smell. These gases can contain chlorine and chloramine, which are poisonous and can cause damage to your respiratory system.
  • They are poisonous: Keep in mind that these bottles are huge containers of very powerful poisons. If you aren’t careful when using them, they can cause damage to your skin and eyes. Only a small amount left on the floor can harm your pet if it licks it up. And the warnings on the sides of the bottles that they should be kept out of reach of children… if you don’t have to have these bottles in your house, why would you?

Let plumbers handle the job safely and effectively

When you call for a plumber to perform your drain cleaning in Olympia, WA from Brooks Plumbing, you’ll have the work done with safe and clean tools like motorized drain snakes and hydro-jetters. These methods are proven effective and will cause no harm to your plumbing—or to you. Trust to the plumbing name that has served Seattle and Olympia since 1994.

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3 Different Ways to Clean Your Drains

Wednesday, April 30th, 2014

Be honest: when you first read the title of this post, did you immediately think of a bottle of liquid drain cleaner, the type sitting on a grocery store shelf near the mops and sponges? That’s what most people conjure up in their heads when they hear “drain cleaning.”

But the truth is that there are few methods worse for cleaning your drains than using a store-bough bottle of corrosive, toxic chemicals. These liquids will damage your drains, leave behind poisonous fumes, and can hurt your skin and eyes. Avoid them at all costs.

Let’s look at three ways that professional plumbers will handle cleaning your drains. These methods not only won’t damage the drains (or you) but do a much more thorough and dependable cleaning job. For a plumbing company that can offer you superb drain cleaning in Olympia, WA, call Brooks Plumbing today.

Effective Methods for Draining Cleaning

  1. Drain snakes: Think of drain snakes (also known as “drain augers”) as long corkscrews that can go down a drain pipe and drill into a thick clog. The twisting action of the metal ends of a drain snake screw into blockage, and then either removes the block or breaks it up. Although you can purchase manual drain snakes from hardware stores, you should allow a professional plumber armed with a motorized drain snake to take care of those clogs you can’t remove with a standard plunger.
  2. Hydro-jetting: This drain cleaning method uses high-pressure blasts of scalding hot water from a nozzle to scour the inside of drains. Hydro-jetting is extremely effective at breaking up clogs, but also at fully cleansing drain interiors of grease, fat, oil, soap scum residue, and all the other sorts of debris that will build up inside drains over time and lead to further clogging and spikes in pressure. Because of the potential danger of high-pressure water involved in hydro-jetting, leave this job to trained plumbers with the right protective gear.
  3. Targeted cleaning with video pipe inspection: This last one isn’t so much a drain cleaning method as it is an approach to effective drain cleaning. Video pipe inspection equipment is the result of miniaturization technology that allows a plumber to send a small digital video camera with a LED light down into plumbing at the end of a length of fiber-optic cable. The camera returns a video feed to a monitor that allows a plumber to examine problems with drains and where they are located. This is useful for targeted drain cleaning that must address specific issues. Video pipe inspection eliminates the guesswork that once went into drain cleaning, streamlining the process to save time, money, and materials.

If you need a heavy clog cleared away, or if you want cleaner plumbing in general, call Brooks Plumbing today. We offer expert drain cleaning in Olympia, WA with the finest technology available.

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Why Trust Professionals When It Comes to Drain Snakes

Tuesday, April 29th, 2014

Drain clogs occur more often than any plumbing issue, and so homeowners want to have solutions on hand to eliminate them quickly. A plunger will often do the job for basic blockages in sinks, showers, and bathtubs. But if the plunger fails, people ill often reach for one of two other tools: chemical drain cleaners and drain snakes.

Let us make this very clear: Do not use chemical drain cleaners on drain clogs! (Or anything else in your pipes.) The acidic action of these chemicals can cause severe harm to your drains, and they leave behind toxic residue that isn’t good for you either.

Drain snakes on the other hand… these are excellent tools for removing or breaking up clogs. You can purchase them in hardware stores and most large general merchandize stores. However, you should leave them on the shelf and turn to professionals when you need drain snaking.

For drain cleaning in Olympia, WA from a plumber armed with the best drain snakes and other unclogging tools, call Brooks Plumbing.

The reason you should allow plumbers to take care of handling drain snakes is that misuse of the standard commercial drain snake could damage the inside of pipes. Most commercial-grade drain snakes (also called drain augers) use manual cranks to turn the coils of the line that corkscrew into the clog to either withdraw it or break it apart. This manual power is often inadequate for the task, and if you’re unused to operating a drain snake, they can scratch the pipe interior.

Professional plumbers use more advanced manual drain snakes and have the training to get the job done without harming your pipes. They also use powered drain snakes, which are hooked up to electric- or gas-powered motors, to handle the difficult clogs. There are few drain blocks that a powered drain snake can’t handle—but few people can handle a powered drain snake without the right training. (They’re also too expensive and bulky for most consumer use; it’s less expensive to hire a professional plumber than to purchase a mechanical drain snake.)

A drain snake is not the only way a plumber can eliminate serious drain clogs. When a plumber comes to your home, he or she will inspect the pipes and the clog (often using video inspection equipment) and figure out the best way to tackle the problem. Rely on their expertise rather than troubleshooting the issue on your own and possibly coming up with the wrong solution.

For the drain cleaning in Olympia, WA that clears the clogs and keeps them from coming back, trust to the 20 years of experience at Brooks Plumbing.

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Plumber Tip: How To Prevent Plumbing Clogs And Other Common Problems

Monday, April 22nd, 2013

Nothing shuts your home down quite like a plumbing problem. Whether it’s a collapsed sewer line, or a major drainpipe blockage, your home can quickly become a health hazard during a clog. While some problems are inevitable, there are some major preventive steps you can take to reduce the change of a clog blocking your wastewater plumbing system. In this post, we’d like to share with you some ways you can prevent plumbing clogs and other common problems. For more info, or to make an appointment with an Olympia, WA plumber, call Brooks Plumbing today!

  • Install a grease trap. Grease, as well as fats and oils, is a major source of plumbing problems in the majority of homes. When we wash our pots and pans in warm water, the grease appears to be liquid, but as it cools, grease solidifies into a gel-like substance, which can quickly accumulate within the interior of your pipes. Installing a grease trap just after the drain to your sink or dishwasher is a great way to reduce the risk of clogging your drains with grease. If you cook a lot, or are otherwise concerned about your kitchen drainpipes, consider a grease trap.
  • Schedule a drain cleaning. Professional drain cleaning is the best preventive measure you can take against the risk of plumbing clogs. A qualified Olympia, WA plumber will have the right equipment and skill-set to approach drain cleaning carefully, avoiding the use of harsh chemicals to ensure that your plumbing remains structurally sound and working well.
  • Install a sump pump. If you’re at all concerned about whether the contents of your basement are safe from water, consider installing a sump pump. Moist and flooded basements are common problems for many homes. A sump pump sits either submerged or upright in a pit at the lowest part of your basement. It’s a great way to protect your belongings, or your basement itself if it’s unfinished.

These are just a few ways you can prevent plumbing clogs and other problems from damaging your home. For more information, or to hire an Olympia, WA plumbing expert, contact Brooks Plumbing today!

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Plumbing FAQ: How Does Professional Drain Cleaning Work?

Monday, April 15th, 2013

We rely on our wastewater disposal systems to keep our homes clean and hygienic. Unlike the pressurized water supply systems, our wastewater system relies on gravity to transport organic waste from the drainpipes in our homes into the sewer line and into the septic tank or municipal waste management system. Over the course of their service life, our drain systems accumulate waste and debris. When this builds up on the inside of our pipes, it can present all sorts of problems. Even minor blockages can eventually become serious clogs that require  Lacey, WA plumbing professional to remove. That’s why routine drain cleaning is so important: it allows your drains to operate as they should. For more information, or to schedule drain cleaning in Lacey, WA, call Brooks Plumbing today!

Let’s take a look at the process of professional drain cleaning. Your Lacey plumber will use a variety of tools and techniques, depending on the application, but let’s look at two steps, and then review the benefits:

  • Video pipe inspection. While this is not strictly part of the cleaning process, it is often a necessary aspect of professional drain cleaning. Knowing where the problematic areas of your drains are allows your plumber to concentrate his efforts and target specific blockages. It’s an excellent technology that removes much of the guesswork. By offering a first-person view from within the internal view of your pipes, you’ll be able to know exactly what’s going on.  If necessary, your plumber may recommend repair or replacement if it looks as though your sewer line is cracked.
  • Drain snake. You’re probably getting drain cleaning due to a partial or even complete blockage. Removing deep clogs is no job for a plunger. You need a drain snake. This is an augur attached to a long cable that usually has some kind of attachment at the front that allows for breaking up blockages
  • Benefits.  Rapid wastewater disposal leads to extended pipe life, odor elimination, and any discomfort caused by blocked and slow drains. The greatest benefit is preventing major and sometimes costly repairs and replacement.

For more information about professional drain cleaning and how it works, contact the Lacey, WA plumbing experts at Brooks Plumbing today!

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Drain and Sewer Tip: 5 Reasons Why Drain Cleaning Is Important

Monday, October 15th, 2012

Here at Brooks Plumbing, we can take care of all your Olympia plumbing needs, including providing tips for preventive plumbing maintenance. Drain cleaning is one of those important maintenance tasks that many homeowners neglect until it’s too late. Here are five reasons that regular drain cleaning services are a vital part of maintaining your plumbing system.

  • Clearing Buildup and Debris Can Help Prevent Backups and Leaks

When food, grease, or other debris get caught in your drain lines, it can create a number of problems for your drain and sewer system. Overflowing toilets or frequent system backups are a few signs that you could have a major clog in your drain lines, but all too often there’s major water damage by the time this happens. Routine drain cleaning is one way to prevent this. It also helps prevent leaks from clogs near joints or weak spots in the pipe.

  • Drain Cleaning Is a Natural Way to Keep Drain and Sewer Lines Clear

Common household drain cleaners often contain harsh chemicals that can harm your pipe, particularly if they are made of soft metals, not to mention the environmental impact. Using a drain snake is a much safer way to clear out your drains. Our plumbers also use video pipe inspections to help pinpoint the problem and find the best solution for your particular drain and sewer issue.

  • Professional Drain Cleanings Provide an Opportunity to Check for Other Problems

In addition to clearing out all your drain lines, a drain cleaning service allows our plumbers to check for any other hidden issues, such as tree root intrusion or a damaged sewer line. If these issues are caught early, it could help to prevent major water damage or expensive repair or repiping needs.

  • Cleaning Drain Lines Helps to Extend the Life of the Drain and Sewer System

Because of all the reasons listed above, routine cleanings can help extend the life of your plumbing system. Keeping drain lines clear and addressing repair needs before they become major issues can help extend the life of your plumbing system.

  • Preventive Maintenance Can Help to Lower Overall Operation Costs

In addition to reducing repair needs and water damage, regular drain cleanings can lower the overall operation cost of your plumbing system. A clean system is a more efficient system, in addition to the money you’ll save on major repairs or replacements.

Call Brooks Plumbing and let us take care of all your Olympia drain and sewer needs!

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Check Out Our Blog for the Latest in Plumbing Technology

Tuesday, November 8th, 2011

Be sure to bookmark the Brooks Plumbing Co. blog for updates on the latest advances in Plumbing technology.

We’ll feature money saving promotions here as well.

Call Brooks Plumbing Co. for all your Plumbing, Water Heater, Drain & Sewer, and Commercial Plumbing needs.

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