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If you spend time maintaining your plumbing, you won’t regret it. Regular services, like drain cleaning services, can keep your plumbing in tiptop shape, so you can avoid costly repairs that end up being a headache. The last thing that you want to do is deal with a major burst, as the water that leaks out from the plumbing could also damage the structural components of your home. For example, it could seep into the foundation or dampen the drywall.

It’s easy for pipes to burst if they are clogged. It’s also easy for water to flow out of the drains rather than into the drains if the pipes are clogged. One of the easiest ways to avoid these headaches is to get regular drain cleaning services in Mansfield, TX. You can also opt for drain cleaning services regularly just to make sure that your plumbing is in good condition. During the drain cleaning service, the plumbing company will usually perform a video inspection where you can get a better idea of whether there are any other issues that need to be addressed.

With that said, drain cleaning services can be rather costly, so you definitely don’t want to have to call a plumber for them when it’s not necessary. In order to keep your drains clear and unclogged, here are 4 things that you can do.

#1. Be Mindful of What You Toss Down the Drains

It’s easy to think that anything that goes down the drains will be gone forever. After all, many people live by the rule of what’s out of sight is out of mind. However, that’s not always the case. Just because you don’t see the mess in your kitchen or in your sink anymore, it doesn’t mean that it’s not stuck further down the drains in a place that you can’t see.

To avoid clogs and to avoid having to pay for drain cleaning services as frequently, be mindful of what you toss down the drains. In particular, you should try to be more mindful of the type of food items that go down the drain. Avoid starchy food items, sticky food items and bones. You should also avoid tossing large food scraps down the drains as well since they can easily get stuck somewhere down the line.

Don’t Forget the Toilet

It’s not just the sink that you need to think about. Be mindful of what you flush down the toilet as well. You want to avoid flushing grease or food items down the toilet whenever you can, as these items can also clog the drains further downstream. Other than food items, make sure that you’re also not flushing sanitary napkins or menstrual napkins and tampons down the drain!

#2. Install a Water Softener

Depending on which municipality that you live in, you might get hard water in your home. Hard water contains a significant amount of minerals and heavy metals, like lead, zinc, and arsenic. Fortunately, the heavy metals are in such low concentrations that they won’t be damaging to your body. However, they can be damaging to the plumbing, as the metals may cling onto the inner surface of the pipes.

If you install a whole-house water softener, you’ll be able to remove any unwanted minerals before they enter your home’s plumbing system. This leads to not only plumbing that’s in better condition but also healthier and better-tasting water.

Install a Remineralizer Filter

A water softener will remove all minerals from your water supply. This includes healthy minerals as well, like calcium and magnesium. Although you shouldn’t be relying on your water supply to provide you with the minerals that you need, you might want to also re-introduce some of these minerals into the water supply. In these cases, you can always install a remineralizing filter.

A remineralizing filter is a filter that’s present in the last stage of the filtration process. Its primary duty is to re-introduce minerals like calcium and magnesium back into the water supply. It does this by passing the water through a filter that contains calcium or magnesium. The two most common filters include calcite, which contains calcium carbonate, and Corosex, which is a type of magnesium compound.

#3. Don’t Forget Regular Maintenance

Another thing that you can do is to pour a cup of hot water down the drains every week in order to melt away any accumulates that may be starting to build up on the inner walls of the plumbing. You can also use natural cleaners as well. However, try to avoid chemical cleaners whenever possible, as chemical cleaners will often do more harm than good. If you are constantly using chemical cleaners, the chemicals may actually eat away the inside of the plumbing, causing it to be more prone to developing leaks and cracks.

You can also run water down the drains once a week. Although this might be a bit wasteful, the constant stream of water might flush some of the sediments away, so they don’t end up sitting inside the plumbing for too long.

#4. Find a Reputable Plumbing Company

Last but not least, if you do it right the first time, you are much less likely to need it again in the future. Don’t skimp out and hire just any plumbing company to perform the drain cleaning services that you need. Instead, look for a reputable company that will do a very detailed job. This usually means that the plumbing company will not only do a thorough video inspection but that they will also inspect the plumbing afterward in order to ensure that they didn’t miss a single thing.

On top of all of this, a reputable plumbing company will be more than happy to walk you through the entire process, so you stay informed throughout the entire process. They’ll figure out what’s clogging your drains and offer you multiple solutions on how to prevent your drains from getting clogged in the future. For example, they might look at the types of food items that you throw in the garbage disposal in order to determine whether there’s anything there that’s ruining your plumbing.

You’ll really be able to tell a difference with the quality of work that you get. With a reputable plumbing company, your plumbing will be in excellent shape after the drain cleaning service, and you’ll be less likely to need to call again in the future.

How to Find a Reputable Plumbing Company

Finding a reputable plumbing company that offers drain cleaning services in Mansfield, TX is easier said than done. You really need to do your due diligence and research the various companies that are around. Some different methods that you can implement include:

• Looking at online reviews. In today’s day and age, one of the best tools at your disposal is the internet. You should look for online reviews from past customers in order to get a better idea of whether you’re working with a reputable company. In particular, look for reviews from other customers that have received their drain cleaning service. These reviews should provide you with some insight as to whether the drains remained unclogged for a long period of time after the cleaning service.

• Talk with the previous owner or with your neighbors. It can be really difficult to find a good plumbing company that offers drain cleaning services. Often, the best companies do not do a lot of advertising. Instead, they rely on word of mouth. You cannot go wrong with asking the previous owner of your home or your neighbors about which plumbers they call.

• Ask for references. Once you found a company that you’d like to work with, make sure that you ask for references that have also received drain cleaning services from them. Make sure that you contact the references to inquire about their experience.

If you put in the effort to find a reputable plumbing company, you’ll be much more likely to be happy with the quality of work that you receive. You will also be much more likely to not need to get your drains cleaned as frequently.

Drain Cleaning Service Methods

If you do need drain cleaning services in Mansfield, TX, speak with the plumbing company to get a better idea of what the process is like. You should ask them how long it will take them to complete the drain cleaning, as well as whether they will provide you with a video inspection before and after the cleaning. If you have a good idea of the entire process beforehand, you’ll know exactly what to expect.

It’s also a good idea to compare the process of various companies together, so you know who will do a more detailed job.

Powered Augers vs Hydro Jetting

The two most popular methods used in drain cleaning services are powered augers and hydro jetting. Both techniques have their own set of advantages and disadvantages.

Powered augers are strong tools that can do a great job at grabbing debris and removing stubborn clogs. There are two different types of powered augers: manual and motorized. Motorized augers tend to be easier to work with, and will get the job done in a much quicker timeframe. Some augers even come with a power drill for even higher efficiency.

Hydro jetting is another common option. It’s even more efficient and powerful than powered augers, as it involves using pressurized water jets to clean the inside of the plumbing. This is one of the best ways to get rid of stubborn clogs, and the jet will propel itself along the length of the plumbing. The pressure of these jets can reach as high as 60,000 pounds per square inch (PSI). This cleaning method will get rid of not only stubborn clogs but also any slime or sludge that may be clinging onto the sides of the plumbing. It’s also a very effective way of getting rid of any tree roots that have intruded into the plumbing.

Video Camera Inspection

Only work with a plumbing company that includes a video camera inspection. Without a video camera inspection, it would be impossible for you to get a good idea of the condition of your plumbing prior to the cleaning. You won’t know whether the cleaning is truly necessary, and you also won’t get a good idea of which areas may need the most cleaning.

A video inspection after the cleaning is completed is also extremely important. It’ll tell you whether the cleaning was effective at removing accumulates that have begun to build on the side of the plumbing. A video inspection will also provide you with more information as to whether there are any other issues that need to be addressed. For example, most plumbers will use this opportunity to look for minor cracks and leaks within the plumbing. These problems should be dealt with as soon as possible in order to avoid costly repairs in the future.

Call Us for More Information

If you do everything right, you won’t need regular drain cleaning services in Mansfield, TX because your drains won’t get clogged quickly. In fact, you’ll usually be able to get away with getting drain cleaning services in Mansfield, TX every year or every several years. This will depend on factors, like the age of the plumbing, the concentration of minerals inside the water supply, and how often you use your plumbing system.

Benjamin Franklin Plumbing of Fort Worth is a reputable plumbing company that offers drain cleaning services to those in Mansfield, TX. We have great reviews, and have offered drain cleaning services for both residential and commercial properties. For more information, give us a call at 817-983-7876 if you are looking for a plumber in the Fort Worth area and 817-478-4119 if you are looking for a plumber in the Arlington area. We would be happy to walk you through our process, so you have a better idea of what to expect.