Skip Navigation
close

Home / Blog

The Complete List For Spring Cleaning Your Drains and Sewers

Apr 30, 2019

As a San Diego homeowner, you probably have your home preparation for summer in full gear. With projects like getting the yard ready for outdoor entertaining, we’re guessing your to-do list feels as if it’s a mile long.

Although spring cleaning your home for summer might be on the top of your to-do list, it’s important to also think about the ins and outs of your home; you know, the things that keep everything working as it should: your sewers and drains.

These things often get neglected (out of sight, out of mind!), but with your busy summer schedule ahead, now is the perfect time to start ensuring that you don’t wind up with a significant sewer or drain issue. So here’s your complete list to provide a significant sewer or drain emergency doesn’t ruin your summer:

Preventing Bigger Drain Issues

First off, let’s start by proper drain care. From your kitchen to your bathroom, drain clogs can be your most common home plumbing issue. Luckily, most of them can be prevented. This is why it’s vital to remember to be mindful of how you treat them. So, let’s break it down room by room.

In The Kitchen

When it comes time to dish cleaning, one of the most common reasons for a significant clog is the lack of plate scraping. Before you begin to pile the dishes into the sink, head to the trash and scrape any large amounts of food into the can. By ignoring this step, those large pieces will wind up in the drain, expand, clog up your drain, and over time can do some major damage.

Your Tub and Shower Drains

You know it well: that gross glob of hair you pull out the shower drain? Well, chances are that it’s just the remains of what didn’t make it down the drain. That hair mixed with soap, shampoo, and other bathroom products, can make for a gross and gunky mess. Instead, invest in a hair catcher. This affordable little addition can help prevent your drains from getting gunked up and prevent the need for a drain snaking.

Outdoor Drains

Now don’t forget about your outdoor drains, either. Locate your outdoor plumbing, inspect them and be sure that there are no leaks, drips, or roots invading them. If there is, you’ll want to reach out to a trusted San Diego plumber today!

Resist DIY Drain Cleaning

You know those unclogging products you often see on the grocery store shelves? Well, those harsh chemicals can temporarily clear your drain — but they’re not fixing the issue at hand. In fact, using a chemical drain cleaner can result in more significant problems down the road. Beyond the quick fix, these chemicals are also harmful to the environment and should just be avoided altogether. It’s always better to find the source of the problem and have a professional find a solution, as a lot of DIY methods can cause sewage or water backup in other areas of the house.

For more top drain tips, read our drain issues 101 blog.

When It’s Time For Snaking and Hydrojetting:

You can prepare all you want, but clogs still occur — and when they do, you’ll want to ensure you tackle the issue head on so that it’s gone for good. First, you can attempt tounclog it yourself. The next step, if you’ve exhausted all at home remedies, is to call a plumber for possible hydrojetting and snaking. But which method is best?

Snaking is an augur method that works to dislodge the clog and restore flow. This drain clearing method is great for any standard drain and sewer clogs.

Hydrojetting, on the other hand, is drain cleaning. It is a pressure washer to clean out buildup and debris; This is great for root and grease related problems.

Replacing Damaged Drains

Drains do wear away over time, and sometimes, a replacement is necessary. Your pipes see a lot of action, and some of that can lead to corrosion and weakening, which can eventually lead to a serious leak. When your drain lines leaks, it can lead to damaged walls, yards, and more. If you believe your drains have been damaged, it’s time to schedule a repair ASAP.

Considering A Camera Inspection

So, if you are having recurring drain or sewer issues, the next step in the process is to schedule a camera inspection.

Here are just some of the reasons you might want to consider a camera inspection:

Recurring Clogs: If standard methods, of clog removal, only work for a short period of time, there could be a much bigger problem occurring, one that can be easily identified with a camera inspection.

Age of Your Pipes: Your plumbing has a lifespan, and when it comes to the end of that lifespan, corrosion can begin and usually not show any warning signs until it’s far too late. A camera inspection can see every little detail of your pipes to ensure there are no major aging issues. If there is, you will know exactly where so you can fix the problems efficiently.

Pipe Issues Are Occurring All Over The Home: Multiple issues is another problem. From a flooded lawn to a drip in the basement, a camera inspection can identify the source of them all. It allows our plumbing experts easy access to all problem areas and can take the guesswork out of the best plan of attack. After all, when the problems begin to spread, you’ll want to get them fixed in the most efficient way possible.

Backed-up Sewer Line: If you feel like you’re calling to get your sewer cleaned and repaired more than before, it’s time to identify the reason fully. The most effective way to do so? With a camera inspection.

Foul Odor From Your Yard: When something doesn’t smell right, you don’t want to spend your precious time guessing what the cause could be. Trust us, with a camera inspection; your neighbors will thank you!

By scheduling one, you can identify root intrusions, leaking pipe joints, separated lateral joints, cracks in your sewer pipes and more — all quickly and cost-effectively.

Trenchless Sewer Lining

When a camera inspection does spot a sewer issue, many homeowners are now looking to trenchless pipelining as an alternative to traditional sewer and drain repair. In the most basic terms, trenchless sewer lining is the process of creating a new pipe inside the existing host pipe. A resin-saturated felt tube made of polyester is inserted or pulled into a damaged pipe.

Some of the main benefits of trenchless sewer:

  • Less damage to your landscaping

  • It’s faster and more cost-effective to fix rather than the “dig and replace” method

  • The eco-friendly choice

So, what makes it different from the “dig and replace” method?

Instead of digging up a large part of your lawn or garden, we clean the existing pipeline, find the issue with a camera inspection, and create one small pothole (4ft x 3ft) to expose the pipe needing repair. This makes it a less invasive method for repair — and the best part is, this pipelining method has a lifespan of about 45 years.

Read more about the benefits of trenchless sewer lining here.

If you have a deteriorating pipe or root intrusion issues, a trenchless lining is your best plan of attack. Our dedicated team will work with you to discover the best solutions to your plumbing issues.

When it comes to your sewer and drain woes, let the experts at Anderson Plumbing Heating & Air “wow” you! Call (866) 374-0402 to request an appointment with our outstanding team of plumbing specialists today!

Back to Top '