How to Keep Your Home's Pipes as Clean as Its Aesthetic

Want your home to sparkle on the outside… but destroy itself from the inside?

That's the reality of what happens when drains are neglected. Paint colors, backsplash tiles and light fixtures get all of the attention. Meanwhile, what's happening inside the walls and underneath the floors is an afterthought.

Problem:

Dirty drains lead to more than clogs. They silently wreak havoc on water pressure, bad smells, costly repairs and structural damage – all while your house looks flawless to anyone else.

The Solution:

Investing in routine professional drain cleaning is one of the easiest things homeowners can do to protect their home from unwanted damage. Not only is drain cleaning simple, but there are also methods you can do yourself to keep things running smoothly in between professional services.

What You'll Learn Below:

• Why keeping your pipes clean is important – even if they look clean on the outside

• Warning signs that your drains need cleaning

• How professional drain cleaning works

• Tips for keeping drains clean at home

Why Keeping Your Pipes Clean is Important – Even if They Look Clean on the Outside

Okay, here's a little known fact that will blow your mind…

The average family can waste 10,000+ gallons of water per year from household leaks alone and many times don't even realize it. Gross, right? A big percentage of that waste is from poorly maintained pipes. Partial clogs, slow drains, and corroded pipes put unnecessary stress on your plumbing and quietly cause damage.

Professional drain cleaning delves much further than what a plunger can reach. The buildup, residue, and blockages that accumulate in drains over time are expertly flushed away with professional cleaning. Another huge culprit is hard water mineral buildup which creates scale buildup inside pipes. Combined with routine drain cleaning, mitigating hard water damage is another huge component of maintaining a home.

Let's compare it to another analogy…

Oiling your car engine is routine maintenance that most car owners don't skip. Even if the engine is running smoothly right now, dirty oil will shorten the lifespan of your engine and make your car run poorly. You get the idea.

Warning Signs That Your Drains Need Cleaning

The reality is that most people don't do anything until things get really bad. Don't be that person!

The sooner you can identify and fix an issue, the easier and cheaper it will be. Keep these red flags in mind:

• Slow draining sinks/showers

• Gurgling sounds when water runs out of drains/toilets

• Foul/musty odors coming from sink/showers drains

• Recurrent clogs

• Weak water pressure

See one or two of these? Consider it time to schedule your next drain cleaning. See three or more? You might already be past due.

How Professional Drain Cleaning Works

Now we're getting down to the nitty-gritty.

When you hire a professional to clean your drains, there are a couple different methods they can take to get the job done. Professional drain cleaning can be as minor as snaking your drain (more on that below). If there is severe buildup or deep-rooted issues in your pipes, more intense methods may be used.

Hydro-Jetting

Hydro-jetting is hands down the best way to deep clean your drains. High-pressure water is used to cut through grease buildup and completely flush away debris that has collected inside pipes.

Not only is hydro-jetting effective on major issues, but it also scales to minor drain maintenance as well.

Why?

• It effectively removes grease, soap scum, and organic matter.

• Clears drains of stubborn mineral deposits and scale.

• Flushes the entire inside of your pipe rather than just the center of the clog.

• No chemicals required.

Heavy duty hydro-jetting is best for homes with older plumbing that have accumulated debris for years, decreasing the diameter of pipes.

Drain Snaking

Drain Snaking, also known as rootering, is the most common form of drain cleaning. A long metal cable is fed into the drain and works to either break up or retrieve the source of the clog.

Ideally used for:

• Bathroom sink clogs (hair mostly)

• Kitchen sink buildup (food debris)

• Isolated clogs that have not spread to other areas of your plumbing.

Pipe Inspection Camera

If you've ever watched property buyers hire a detective plumber to inspect houses for problems before buying them, you've seen this method.

Cameras are inserted into drains and pipes to identify where the issue(s) lies. Not only does this save you time pulling up flooring/roots, but it saves you money by preventing unnecessary drain cleaning.

Tips for Keeping Drains Clean At Home

Think professional drain cleaning is a set-it-forget-it type of deal?

Think again.

Neglecting your drains between professional drain cleaning services is like skipping oil changes at the mechanic. Sure, your car may be running good now… but it won't be for long.

7 in 10 homeowners have unsuccessfully tried to repair their own plumbing. That's why establishing good habits for your plumbing is a must. Simple things you can do every single day to prevent those costly emergency calls.

• Start using drain covers to catch hair in shower drains

• Flush your drains with boiling water each week

• Don't pour grease or oils down your kitchen sink

• Run cold water when using your garbage disposal

• Schedule annual/bi-yearly professional drain cleanings

Life happens. We're not perfect and sometimes we still get clogged drains. But following a few of these steps can reduce how often those clogs occur.

You Don't Have to Go at it Alone

The biggest thing with most homeowners is that they only think about professional drain cleaning when it's too late. Instead of being a simple plumbing maintenance visit, you're looking at stressed pipes, damaged walls/floors and higher repair costs.

Professional drain cleaning visits will cost you a fraction of that damage. Plus, it'll extend the longevity of your plumbing and fixtures. It really is a happy medium.

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

Not only will clean drains keep your home running smoothly, but you'll notice an increase in water pressure, longevity of your fixtures and a decrease in mold/mildew from excess moisture buildup.

Wrap Up and Key Takeaways

Nobody cares about your drains. Until they start clogging up and causing damage to your home. Then, you wish you did.

Here's what you should know about drains:

• Pay attention to how your drains are draining. If it's slow, you have a problem.

• Professional drain cleaning comes in a few varieties. Choose the right one for your situation.

• Hydro-jetting is the most effective and popular way to deep clean drains.

• Don't neglect your drains at home. There are plenty of easy things you can do daily.

• Just like your car, your plumbing and drains need routine maintenance. Schedule regular drain cleanings.

The interior of your pipes may not be the most exciting thing about your home. But taking care of them can be one of the best investments you can make as a homeowner.

Here are some other articles related to your search:

• Why Regular Plumbing Maintenance Saves Money
• “Like-New” Flow: How Pros Match Pressure to Premium Plumbing Without Damaging High-End Pipes
• DIY Guide to Unclogging Blocked Drains Effectively