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Oftentimes, we run into drain and plumbing issues in our homes or offices; getting these issues resolved is typically what we need a plumber for. Plumbers help us fix a wide range of issues, such as a broken tap, replacing plumbing fittings in a building, and a host of other issues that might go wrong in a building’s plumbing system.
However, a plumber may not be able to help you out with some issues. For example, a sewer backup in your home would still be a plumbing system issue. But, it typically requires more sophisticated equipment and skills to deal with this type of problem. This is usually the work of a drainage expert or “drain specialist.”
In this post, we’ll discuss who a drainage expert or drain specialist is, as well as how you can rely on their services to keep your property’s plumbing system running optimally.
What is a Drain Specialist?
As opposed to plumbers who focus on fixing interior issues related to water entering your home, a drain specialist focus on sewer related needs, specializing in removing foul wastes (wastewater, drain clogs, debris, etc.) from your plumbing system using special machines or equipment.
A drain specialist, also known as a sewer and drain specialist, helps you resolve issues like slow-moving drains, clogged sewer lines, drain cleaning, sewer line replacements, and sewer backups. A sewer and drain specialist is a highly trained technician, and as such, uses special equipment during these processes.
How to Choose the Right Drain Specialist for Your Needs
Choosing the right drain specialist requires that you do your due diligence. Here, we’re talking about verifying the capabilities and claims of the drainage expert or sewer and drain specialist and making sure that they have both the expertise and experience required to resolve the issues you’re facing in your home.
Processes like trenchless pipe repair and sewer line inspection require subject matter expertise and experience to implement them successfully.
Depending on where you live, you need to factor in the area building codes or get a permit to implement specific processes, such as trenchless pipe repair. In such situations, working with an experienced company can save you some trouble. Besides, most municipalities require drain specialists and drainage contractors to carry a license. Therefore, you want to ensure that the drain specialist or sewer company you’re hiring is licensed.
Also, to know whether you’re hiring the best drain cleaner, you may want to confirm if the contractor has executed similar projects before. The cost of the project should also be factored in. Note that different companies most likely will charge you differently. Consider getting quotations from different companies so that you can stay within your budget.
What are the Best Drain Cleaning Techniques?
Whether you’re considering an inexpensive DIY drain cleaning or hiring a professional to clean out your clogged drain, here are some drain cleaning techniques to consider:
Avoid Using Chemical Drain Cleaners
At N.W Drain & Sewer, we usually recommend that homeowners refrain from using any chemical drain cleaners to clean their pipes or sewer line. This is because most drain cleaning chemicals do cause more harm than good. Instead, we recommend snaking or plunging and hydro-jetting. These are very effective and affordable, and most drain specialists regard them as the best drain cleaning techniques.
About using chemical drain cleaners, keep in mind that they contain substances that react with aluminum and emit harmful gases. Additionally, some chemical drain cleaners often harden inside the pipes — and this can be pretty difficult to clean. Also avoid using these chemicals with household chemicals or even using household chemicals to clean your drain pipes, as they can cause the pipes to burst out.
However, if you must use drain cleaning chemicals, be sure to use eco-friendly drain cleaning products that are also harmless to the environment.
How to Clean a Clogged Drain?
There are two common methods for cleaning out clogged pipes:
Snaking
While not recommended this is a commonly used method for clearing clogged pipes. When this method is unsuccessful a sewer and drain specialist is brought in to resolve the issue.
A plumber’s snake, also known as a drain snake, is a slender, flexible auger used to remove clogs or debris in drain pipes. This process is called snaking. It is effective for freeing up slow-moving drains. Snaking is often used to dislodge difficult clogs from drain pipes or sanitary sewers.
However, like stated above snaking may not be so effective for stubborn clogs, especially those caused by root intrusions in drain pipes. For stubborn such stubborn clogs, the best and most recommended drain cleaning technique is hydro-jetting.
Hydro-jetting
Hydro-jetting is a sewer and drain cleaning technique used by sewer and drain specialists to dislodge difficult clogs from drain pipes. Hydro-jetting involves using pressurized water (at 4000 psi) to remove clogs sticking to the walls of drain pipes. Water flowing at high pressure is passed from a nozzle through the blocked drain pipes, dislodging the clogs and freeing up the pipes in the process.
Hydro-jetting has been used to resolve complex plumbing issues like sewer backups, removal of root intrusions, cleaning out clogs causing slow-moving drains, and a host of other pinning issues. At N.W Sewer and Drain, this is usually the technique that we recommend to clean clogged drain pipes.
The Importance of Using a Professional Drain Cleaner
Getting the help of a professional sewer and drain specialist can save you lots of trouble when you need to clean your clogged drain pipes. You can rest assured that your drain pipes will be cleaned out using best-in-class procedures. We recommend discussing your needs with the drainage contractor to ensure before commencing. If possible, find out whether the company is licensed in accordance with the local regulation codes.
Our drain pipe repair procedure at N.W. Sewer & Drain includes hydro-jetting to clear out difficult clogs from drain pipes. We also perform an initial inspection of your sewer line using a specialized live camera (a process known as sewer camera inspection) to detect the exact location of the clogs. For highly effective, affordable, and timely drain pipe cleaning, sewer pipe repair, do not hesitate to contact us at 206-931-7728 to schedule an inspection of your sewer line and pipes.