8 Signs You Need A Drain Cleaning Service | Mansfield, TX
If you own a home in Mansfield, TX then it is a safe bet that at some point you will need to hire a drain cleaning service to help deal with drainage issues. While it would be nice to think that you will never need to have your drains cleaned, this is highly unlikely given that clogs are just a part of life. However, if you practice good drain habits you can decrease the number of times you need to call a drain cleaning service which everyone can agree is an optimal situation.
Drains can clog for a number of reasons which is why sometimes a floor drain can clog with seemingly no warning. However, usually, there are some warning signs before a drain clogs completely. Learning to recognize those warning signs can help ensure that you call for help from a drain cleaning service before you wake up to a disgusting mess on the floor. As a homeowner, your goal should always be to stay ahead of future problems because proactive service is always less costly and much less messy than waiting until the last minute.
Some homeowners actually benefit from booking proactive drain cleaning services on an annual or a bi-annual basis, especially if there is a drain issue that cannot be fixed. For instance, while you can change certain drain habits such as flushing wet wipes down the toilet, you cannot do anything about large trees that continue to grow into your pipelines busting up your pipes. In these situations sometimes annual cleaning is the best way to make sure that the drains do not get clogged by roots. A yearly drain cleaning is usually an inexpensive way to deal with a natural nuisance that you cannot handle otherwise.
Of course, not every Mansfield, TX homeowner needs that. Some homeowners just need a drain cleaning service when they notice an issue brewing and then will not need to deal with their drains for another decade. Where your home is located and your overall drain hygiene has a lot to do with the condition of your pipes long-term. With that in mind, you should consider reading over the following list of tips that can let you know it is time to have your drains cleaned out.
Like we said earlier, rarely will a drain clog without some type of warning. If you know the warning signs then you can beat the clog which is usually preferred. Drains are a matrix and clogs can lead to unpleasant backups in unexpected locations. It is not unheard of for a clogged toilet to lead to sewage in the kitchen or a clogged sink to end up backing up in the shower depending on how your pipes are aligned. With that in mind, here are the top nine signs that you need to call a drain cleaning service in Mansfield, TX. Commit these to memory so that if you ever happen to notice one, you can get help right away.
Drains Are Taking too Long to Empty
One of the most noticeable signs that a clog may be forming inside of your plumbing is if you notice that one or more drains are taking too long to empty. If you notice that your drain is still draining long after you turn off your plumbing this is a good reason to be suspicious. Most people know how long their drains usually take to drain, and most people will start to notice when something seems off. Trust your gut feeling and take action by calling a drain cleaning service if it occurs to you that your drain is emptying slower than usual.
If it is only one drain then you may have a local clog which is something a plumber or drain cleaning service can help you with. However, if you notice that the issue is occurring on several levels of your home and/or in multiple drains then you likely have a much bigger issue on your hand that you need to handle. In this situation, you need to call a drain cleaner and have your sewer line snaked because chances are there is something in your mainline or your sewer line that is preventing water from flowing properly through.
Odd Sulfur-like Odors In Drains
Have you noticed that regardless of how much time you spend cleaning your kitchen or bathroom there is still a lingering sewage odor? Sewage sometimes smells like sulfur and are not going to go away just because you dump some bleach down the drain. This can work on a temporary basis, but long term you will need to take action because this odor is usually coming from a partial clog.
When items get stuck in your drain they quickly attract bacteria and mold. The organisms living within the clog are actually what produce the bad odors that are wafting back up your drains. The smell will continue to permeate the air unless you do something to stop it. The only way to put an end to it is by hiring a drain cleaning service to come out to your home to remove the clog. Once it is gone for good the smell will also disappear and you can stop worrying about dropping citrus peels and bleach down your drains before guests arrive.
Multiple Clogged Drains
Another sign that you have a major clog brewing somewhere under your home is if you notice that several drains in your home are showing symptoms of a clog. One clogged drain is a pain, but can be quick to fix, however, several clogged drains usually point to a larger issue that is hidden deep in your plumbing system.
In this situation, there is usually a large partial clog somewhere in your main or your sewage line that is preventing water from properly moving down the drain. It is not uncommon to see drains in the kitchen and the bathroom both backup if a sewer line is clogged, or for multiple drains to clog in a bathroom if the clog is in the main under the bathroom main sewage line.
Multiple drains can make it a bit more difficult to determine where the clog is, but professional drain cleaning services in Mansfield, TX have experience working with multiple clogged drains. We have the tools to figure out where the clog is and then have the experience and knowledge to bust the clog-free. If you have multiple clogs don’t limit your sewage usage, simply call and get help.
Gurgling or Bubbling Noises
Whether you have an old or a new home, there is no good explanation for a gurgling or bubbling noise coming from pipes. People often comment that their bathroom sink gurgles some but blame it on owning an older home, but in reality, it has nothing to do with the age of the home. Instead, it has everything to do with how long it has been since plumbing has been cleaned within a home. A drain cleaning service can easily help take care of this issue.
Gurgling and bubbling usually mean that water is no longer passing clearly through your pipes. A partial blockage allows air to hide in it, and as the water passes through the air gets trapped. It then fights its way up which is the gurgling and the bubbling noise that you hear. Eventually, you won’t hear the gurgling if you don’t take action because the drain will completely clog. Pay attention to gurgling and make sure that you call for a drain cleaning service if you start to notice bubbling on a regular basis.
Standing Water (Pooling)
Another clear sign that something is going on in your pipes is the presence of standing water, sometimes also referred to as pooling. People notice this most often in the shower when there is water pooling around their feet while they take a shower. Your shower should not turn into a bath, so if it starts to feel that way this is a sign that there is a clog somewhere below your shower drain.
If the standing water is limited to the shower then the clog might be local, but if you notice that water is not draining out your bathroom sink or is starting to pool around your toilet when you flush you have a much bigger issue that you need to take care of now. A drain cleaning service can help you determine which one it is. Sometimes installing a hair trap is all that is needed to keep the clog from coming back, sometimes you need to address old plumbing. Either way, a drain cleaning service can help you get to the bottom of it.
Obvious Water Backup
Sometimes you won’t have to stop and think about a drain cleaning service, because it will be obvious. One of these times is if you have a water backup. A water backup occurs when sewage attempts to run out of your Mansfield, TX home but meets a clog, eventually it will come right back up the sewage pipe and will burst out of the nearest drain.
In most homes, this means the floor drains on the basement or the first floor, and usually, this type of water backup is not pretty. When a sewer line blocks up all of the wastes from your home come back out of it including sewage, stools, toilet paper, and more. It is quite an unsanitary mess and can result in flood damage if not promptly attended to. Keeping up with your drains and maintaining good drain hygiene is the best way to avoid this smelly, disgusting, emergency situation.
Sudden Emergence of Fruit Flies
Fruit flies are never pleasant, and while they sometimes show up with rotten fruit, they can also show up if you have a partial clog in your kitchen sink. partial clogs are full of bacteria and are the perfect wet and damp place for a fruit fly to lay its eggs. Therefore, if you have a lot of fruit flies you may need to have your kitchen sink cleaned out. The good news is after you do this you should notice that your kitchen sink drains better and your kitchen will finally be free of fruit flies once and for all.
Of course, keep in mind that sometimes fruit flies can simply mean you have a rotting fruit hiding on your counter. If you have a toddler a rotting apple hidden under your couch is not out of the question. Therefore, before you get too worried and call out a drain cleaning service make sure you look around your kitchen or the area of your Mansfield, TX home where you are noticing flies to make sure that there isn’t another cause. Sometimes it really is as simple as finding the hidden apple.
Too Much Drain Cleaner Solutions
Finally, if you have to use a commercial drain cleaner all of the time in order to keep your drains moving then you likely already know there is an issue that should be investigated further. However, commercial drain cleaners that you buy at a local hardware store are not the solution. In fact, the simple fact that you need to keep using them over and over again proves that they are not an effective cure.
More worrisome is the fact that drain cleaners will actually corrode your pipes if they are used too much. The chemicals in drain cleaner that are responsible for eating away at clogs will also slowly start to eat away at the lining of your pipe. With this in mind, most professional drain cleaning services will heavily advise you to skip drain cleaners at all costs. Even occasional use can lead to problems.
With that in mind, if you are dealing with an unexpected clog or need an annual drain cleaning service then Benjamin Franklin Plumbing of Fort Worth can help you. We regularly help customers in Mansfield, TX, so give us a call today for help with drain cleaning service.