We Don’t Suggest DIY Drain Cleaning & Here Are The Reasons Why:
I thought this would be a good blog topic to share because the other day I received a call from an owner with a backed-up main sewer line. I told him our reasonable pricing and said we can be out same-day, but the owner opted to rent a drain auger and do it themselves. Well, a few hours later they called back and needed our help. The cable on the machine they rented broke through a piece of the sewer pipe, got caught and stuck in the sewer line. Now the owner needs to repair the damage by digging up their yard, excavating and repairing the section of broken pipe, all of which is much more expensive than a drain cleaning.
We have all experienced a slow or clogged drain in our home because it’s pretty much unavoidable no matter how careful you are. While the store-bought augers and chemical cleaners may work on small clogs for a short period of time, they ultimately aren’t a long term solution and could cause more damage to your pipes than you know. Please don’t panic and hastily react to drain clogs and back-ups by immediately trying to clear the blockage yourself because you think it’s more cost effective and easy or that it may take days to get a professional drain cleaning appointment.
The honest truth is that we get calls every day that our customers tried chemical cleaners and it didn’t work or it caused a leak in their pipe because the caustic chemical sat in the line and corroded the drain, or they tried a drain snake (auger) and it got stuck in the drain or it made the clog even worse. DIY snaking could result in a successful clearing of the blockage, but if you’re inexperienced with the process it could also pack the clog tighter, the snake could twist incorrectly until it becomes stuck, the tip could break off in the line, the inside of the pipe gets all scratched up which results in rusting or the pipe could crack, break or even burst. Yes, these things happen all of the time when DIY goes wrong and when we arrive, our customers are very relieved to see us.
You may think it seems simple to put a metal cord through a pipe and push the clog all the way to the city sewer main. Well, we would ask you to think again. Along with the reasons I already listed, working with a large 350+ pound motorized sewer auger is very dangerous! And, quite frankly, raw sewage from a main sewer line is simply gross! It could make you ill from direct contact, inhalation and exposure to the many types of bacteria that live in sewage. Yuck.
The drain, waste and vent systems (DWV) and your main line sewer system is actually a very simple concept, but this sophisticated and complex system should only be worked on and maintained by professionals who know how to properly utilize and maneuver the heavy-duty, professional grade equipment they use day in and day out. Ken’s professional drain technicians have the proper training, skills and plumbing knowledge necessary when working on the variables a drain line may consist of – multiple pipe sizes, multiple joints, different materials, pipe traps, turns & twists, clean-out plugs, correct or incorrect pitch/slope. We also take into consideration if the drain is compromised in any way; our techs are experienced enough that they know when it’s not a good idea to snake a drain.
So, the next time you have a drain clog in your home and especially if the clog is in your main sewer line, please first consider reaching out to Ken’s Sewer Service for your professional drain cleaning. We are always here to help!
