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Can I Clean My Drains on My Own?

Posted on: December 7, 2015

Drain cleaning is a job that we recommend homeowners have done once a year as part of their regular professional plumbing maintenance. It will help keep drains free of debris and build-up, making for a more dependable plumbing system and a reduced number of annoyances from slow drains and clogs.

But do you really need professionals for this? Why not just rely on a good-old hand crank drain snake? Or a few bottles of chemical drain cleaners purchased from the grocery store?

Yes you need professionals for drain cleaning, and here’s why:

The two methods of “drain cleaning” we mentioned above, drain snakes and chemical drain cleaners, don’t really clean drains effectively.

  • drain snake (a.k.a. drain auger) is actually quite a useful device for quickly getting rid of small and simple clogs. But the drain snake only punctures through clogs and breaks them up. It doesn’t do much more than provide a temporary solution. Debris remains behind in the drain, and it will start to catch more debris and build-up. Soon, the clogs will be back.
  • Chemical drain cleaners, on the other hand, are not only not useful, they’re pretty much the opposite! These chemical mixtures consist of highly acidic solutions, which are dangerous to have in the home. Mishandling them can burn eyes and skin, and their fumes are almost as hazardous. On top of that, they don’t do what they claim to! They may break through a clog, but won’t do a thing about cleaning off the build-up on the pipe walls. Plus, the acid can damage the inside of your drainpipes. No professional plumber recommends that homeowners use chemical drain cleaners for any reason.

Professional drain cleaners use special equipment, such as motorized drain augers and hydro-jetters, to provide genuine drain cleaning. Give us a call, and we’ll see that you have dependable drains.

Bud Matthews Services has all your home service needs in Durham, NC.

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We recognize that our services are of a special and often emergency nature, and we remain fully committed to fulfilling the needs of our community even as potential demand for our services may increase with more families either choosing to or being required to remain home for extended periods of time. More importantly, the safety of our employees and customers is always our highest priority, and we recognize that heightened diligence and focus on health and safety is required during these challenging times. We are actively monitoring updates from the CDC, WHO and local health officials; and we have been proactively and continually implementing measures and developing plans to prioritize the health and well-being of our employees and customers. Including:

  • Equipping all technicians with masks, gloves, and disinfectants.
  • Social distancing – Avoid handshakes and limit direct contact with customers during their visit.
  • Requiring technicians to clean all surfaces with disinfectants before and after performing work.
  • Requiring all employees to stay home if they are experiencing symptoms such as shortness of breath, coughing or fever.