August 18, 2022
There’s nothing worse than a clogged drain that you can’t unblock. If you have a stubborn clog that’s making it difficult—or even impossible—to use your sink or shower, you may be looking for the best DIY drain cleaning tips. Though you can unclog a drain by yourself, some DIY drain cleaning methods will do more harm than good.
At Pippin Brothers, we see a lot of drain cleaning mistakes when we’re called out to resolve drain issues for our customers who have tried a DIY fix. Keep reading to learn more about the most common types of drain issues we see and how you can avoid them with professional drain cleaning.
1. Using Harsh Chemical Drain Cleaners
Chemical drain cleaners may seem like an easy solution for a clogged shower or kitchen sink, but you need to be careful with these types of products. Most liquid drain cleaners are caustic, which means they can corrode your pipes and cause serious, long-term damage, especially if you use them repeatedly. Also the caustic chemical will usually only eat a small hole in the blockage, so the drain will stop up again very soon. One of the top drain cleaning mistakes we see is homeowners continuously using chemical cleaners on the same blocked drain instead of calling a professional plumber, who will clean the drain, not just make it drain temporarily.
2. Trying to Push the Clog Out with a Homemade Tool
If there’s something stuck in your drain, you might be tempted to stick something else down your drain to dislodge it. But poking at a blockage is never a good idea. You will most likely end up pushing the clog even further down the drain and making it harder to remove. Your homemade tool could also poke holes in your pipes, or break off and create a second clog.
Using a drain cleaning tool like a plunger or drain snake is much safer and more effective than using a homemade drain cleaning device. Still, these tools can cause damage if they’re used incorrectly, and it’s better to have a professional unclog your drain if you’re having trouble.
3. Not Calling a Plumber When You Need One
Some clogged drains can be cleared with a DIY fix, but if you have a stubborn clog that won’t budge or one drain that keeps clogging again no matter how many times you fix it, it’s worth it to have someone unclog your drain for you. Calling a plumber is often more cost-effective than trying to solve a plumbing problem yourself because so many DIY fixes end up making the problem worse and costing you more than you would have spent on professional drain cleaning in the first place.
Get Expert Drain Cleaning Help in Lawton, Duncan, or Fort Sill
Looking for a drain cleaner near you in Oklahoma? Pippin Brothers has you covered. We’ve been in business since 1978 and have been helping local homeowners solve their plumbing problems for decades.
We know how much a blocked drain or clogged sink can impact your family’s comfort. We’ll work hard to fix the problem fast and make sure it doesn't come back. Pippin Brothers protects your plumbing system, your comfort, and your family’s health with our expert plumbing repair and maintenance services. Give us a call today to see why local homeowners won’t trust anyone else!
