Plumbers in Arlington, Texas

Drains and Maintenance

Drain cleaning is often neglected by many homeowners until a problem with them occur. The drains should actually be a routine part of home maintenance like cleaning your gutters and wrapping the pipes for the winter. Maintaining clean drains assures the proper removal of water and waste. Poor maintenance can lead to slow draining, burst or clogged pipes and bad odors coming from your homes drains.

Drains can back up with organic material which can lead to build up on the inside of drain pipes creating foul odors. In this same process the inner lining of the drain pipe becomes smaller as the material builds up. This process leads to slow draining pipes and can take twice as long for the same amount of water to move out of a sink, for example. If the problem isn’t addressed it can lead to a clogged drain. When a professional cleans the drains it allows the foul odors to dissipate.

Occasionally it may be the main exterior drain line itself that is the problem. Tree roots can break through supply or drain lines in search of water. This causes material to leak out and the roots can clog the pipe.

A plumbing professional can prevent problems by cleaning the lines with special tools for drains. These tools can power right through clogged drains removing any material clinging to pipes or blocking it. Once pipes are clean, water and other materials can properly drain away from your home and the bad odors will go away. Clean drains will ensure no clogs form to burst pipes or back up water and material into your home or business. When tree roots invade a pipes lumen, repairs will be required to replace the damaged section.

To prevent clogged drains the following guidelines are recommended

• Use strainers in tub, shower and sink drains to prevent hair and food from entering drains. Strainers are available in multiple sizes at home and hardware stores as well as many $1 stores for $1-5 in packs of multiples. They will require frequent emptying.
• Never pour grease or oil into drains, dispose of properly. After emptying pans of oil or grease use paper towels to wipe out all of the remaining oil or grease that is possible.
• In the absence of a garbage disposal wipe dishes clean and into the trash with a paper towel to prevent food particles from entering the drain.
• After washing dishes let water run for 10-15 seconds to flush out any food particles in the dish water.
• If the bathroom sink you shave in has a popup drain preventing the use of a strainer, catch water for shaving in a pan or other basin that will fit into the sink. When done use the water on outside flowers or on the lawn. Do not pour hair laden shaving water down the drain.

Benjamin Franklin Plumbing-Fort Worth has the latest state-of-the-art equipment for locating clogged areas of the drain, both in the home and outside of it. In the case of an exterior drain line problem, this enables us to locate the blocked area and detect any damage that may be present without tearing up the lawn.

The best approach is to provide routine maintenance to prevent clogged drains from ever occurring. Give Benjamin Franklin Plumbing-Fort Worth’s experienced plumbers a call to schedule a drain inspection and cleaning. Our professional plumbers in Arlington, Texas and Fort Worth provide 24 hour emergency service for all your plumbing needs.