How Do You Know Which Drains Need Cleaning?

One of the most sensible times to look into drain cleaning in Elmira is when you move into your new house or apartment. You can quickly tell if the previous occupants vacuumed the carpet, cleaned the windows, or scrubbed the stove. But you wont be able to tell how well theyve taken care of the home before they left. That includes invisible things like drains and air ducts move in/move out. In this article, youll learn when your drains need cleaning.

Look Underneath the Stopper

The previous occupants probably did a decent job with cleaning the sink. But if you look closely, youll likely discover a lot of things that might even make you gag. When you remove the stopper in the bathroom sink, youll potentially find hair and other debris clogging up the top of the drain.

Showers and bathtubs often have clogged drains as well. Thats easily explained, but it probably doesnt make you feel any better about whats inside the drains. But who wants to clean up after other people? Cleaning drains isnt even pleasant when youre the only one whos used them. Thats why it makes sense to hire someone else to do that for you. If its greasy and nasty right beneath the stopper, then a thorough drain cleaning is in order.

Check for Slow Drains

A drain thats not draining quickly is ripe for cleaning. There are probably a few small things that are clogging the drain in an area you cant visibly access. And every time you flush even the tiniest amount afterwards, your debris will get caught on whatever is already in the drain. The only thing you can do here is some serious drain cleaning.

The good news is that a thorough drain cleaning should fix slow drains. That means when you take a shower, the water shouldnt accumulate by your feet. And when youre done with the bathtub, it shouldnt take an hour to drain it. Even toilets can be prone to slow draining if they have a minor clog. If you cant fix the slow drain on your own, its a good idea to call a plumber.

Use Your Sense of Smell

Your bathroom and your kitchen shouldnt smell like an old drain. And they probably dont. But you may experience a whiff of something unpleasant when youre doing the dishes or brushing your teeth. The unpleasant odor is probably not coming from your partner, but from the drains underneath the sink.

Smelly drains dont always indicate a big problem. But theyre certainly unpleasant and warrant appropriate action. Baking soda, vinegar, and lemon can clean your drains and add a pleasant, fresh smell at the same time. But if the smell doesnt get any better after that, then you may need to call a plumber after all. Its possible that something smelly is clogging up your pipes further down the drain.

Do You Have a Septic Tank?

If your property has a septic tank, then drain cleaning is even more important than you think. Since youre basically using a closed system for drainage, its important that your waste is draining where it should. Your drainpipes need to be free and clear to allow the water to leach into the surrounding area.
With a septic tank, you have to be extra careful about what youre putting down your drains. You also want to make sure that there arent any trees with deep, long roots near the septic tank.