You can fix some drain problems in your home – via several DIY methods. But not all drain problems in the home can or should be solved using DIY. There are drain problems that can only be resolved with the expertise of a professional plumber, notes Kokopelli Management.
How do you know which drain problems to solve by yourself and which ones need the attention of a plumber?
As a homeowner who wants to save time and money but is also keen to improve their ability to manage their home’s plumbing, this is an important question. You should not call a plumber for any and every drain problem in your home; that would be a waste of money.
At the same time, not knowing when to call a plumber can lead to disastrous consequences in your home. Failing to call a plumber at the right time will let plumbing issues that could have been solved cheaply advance into huge problems that will cost a lot of money to fix.
Should you draw the line between DIY-ing your home’s plumbing issues and calling a professional plumber to look at the problems? This post offers essential guidelines to help you make that decision. You will protect your plumbing and pocket if you follow these tips.
5 drain problems that should be left to a professional plumber
If you are dealing with any of the following issues, you need a plumber to help you fix them.
Chronic drain clogs
Minor drain clogs and blockages can be solved using home remedies like pouring baking soda and vinegar into the drain or using hot water to clear the clog. But these methods only work if the blockage is near the drain opening.
For deep clogs inside your drainage pipes, you need more effective solutions. Also, if several drains in your home are clogged at the same time, or you have drain clogs that refuse to go away, you need a professional plumber to help you get to the root of the plumbing issues.
Professional drain cleaning
Your home’s drains should be cleaned on a schedule, whether clogged or not. You cannot thoroughly clean a drain by pouring chemical or enzymatic drain cleaners into the drain openings; those are only useful for minor problems.
Unlike these DIY methods, a drain cleaning service will not only remove the clogs and blockages inside your drain lines, but these professional plumbers can also help you avoid future clogs/blockages and pipe damage.
Comprehensive drain cleaning by a drain cleaning service is a great way to protect your drains and cut maintenance costs. This procedure will terminate all the processes that lead to clogs and blockages in the drainage system.
When hydro-jetting your drains
Although it is possible to hydro-jet your drains by yourself, it is not recommended. The reason is that hydro-jetting is a powerful drain cleaning method that can be just as damaging to drainpipes as it can be helpful.
Hydro-jetting uses water pressure that is high enough to blast away tree roots, sludge and other debris from your drains. In the hands of an inexperienced person, hydro-jetting can easily damage or weaken the pipes that make up your drainage system.
When inspecting your drains
Every homeowner should know how to visually inspect their drains. Inspections like these help homeowners catch drainage problems before they become costly plumbing emergencies.
However, it is vital to know the difference between the superficial inspection done by a homeowner and the in-depth inspections done by professionals. Professional plumbers will often conduct a sewer camera inspection before drain or sewer line repair.
This diagnostic tool is used to determine the condition of a sewer line, the type of problems in the system and the best ways to solve those problems. The quality of a sewer line repair often depends on how well the sewer camera inspection was done.
Sewer line repair
Sewer line repair – even minor ones – should always be undertaken by a professional plumber. That is partly because of how minor mistakes during sewer line repair can damage a sewer line and impair the structural integrity of your home.
The impact of sewer line repair problems can also extend beyond your home. A badly-repaired sewer line can damage the city sewer line in the street or cause issues in your neighbor’s property. Professional plumbers should always perform sewer line repairs.
Why should you call a professional plumber?
Compared to the most-avid plumbing DIYer, professional plumbers have a complete overview of the plumbing system they are working on. As a result, the solutions they adopt are more holistic and longer-lasting. They also have specialized tools and experience to help them diagnose problems correctly and solve them effectively.
Calling a professional plumber for the bigger plumbing issues in your home can help you save money. The plumber’s know-how will keep those problems from growing into bigger issues that create expensive and life-threatening plumbing emergencies in your home.