As the cold settles in, you know winter is ready to bring months of ice, snow, and freezing temperatures to your front door. In order to keep your home and family happy during this chilly season, most people go through a home check list to help minimize emergencies. But one of the most frequently overlooked areas of the home is your drain system.
Sewer issues are common this time of year as the environment changes and we go through the cycles of freezing and thawing. The last thing you want to do is call for an emergency plumbing service in the dead of winter because the tub is backed up and the toilet won’t flush! The good news? There is a prep list that you, as a homeowner, can go through to help reduce the chance of a pipe problem. Massie Creek is always here to help when you need us, but let’s go through these DIY solutions first.
Solve What You Can
To start off, take a look at the minor drain problems around your house. You want to take care of the little things first, as this can help mitigate more excessive issues down the line.
- Clogged Drains: If it takes your sinks and tubs a long time to drain, leaving stagnant water backed up, you have a drain clog. A handy strainer can stop most large particles from making their way into your pipes, and you will want to avoid dropping grease down the sink, as it can get gunked up down there. A drain snake and some chemical drain cleaner can handle most minor upsets with a little elbow grease and patience.
- Leaking Pipes: Musty scents, suspicious puddles, and mold growth are the big three signs of a leaky pipe somewhere. If you can find the leak, look for signs of rust and corrosion that could be affecting the pipes and replace worn-out parts. Check to see if the seals are intact and that all the connections are tight. Insulation can also help against the development of condensation that can erode your pipes.
- Drain Odor: Unpleasant smells coming up from the drain can be a big sign that you have a problem. This is typically caused by odor build-up of trapped food, bacteria, and sewer gas leeching back into your home. A mixture of baking soda and vinegar poured down the drains can help clean out the pipes and eradicate the smell. However, if it persists, you may need a professional to find the root cause
- Pipe Corrosion: Pipes corrode over time due to pH levels, minerals, chemicals, and age. This is why testing your water on a regular basis can be so important, since you can’t always see the problem areas in your pipes. Using noncorrosive drain cleaners can help maintain your pipes’ integrity, but if the damage is already done, you will need professional help.
How Do You Inspect My Pipes?
Even if you feel like you’ve got a good handle on things, it pays to have your drains properly inspected before the first freeze hits. Most plumbing companies, including us, offer free inspections and estimates to our customers so you can make more informed choices. We use a sewer line camera to snake through your plumbing and look for any signs of blockage, corrosion, splits, broken connections, and any other sewer line problems without having to dig up your lawn. This means that our experts can identify the problem efficiently with little interruption of your daily life and make a plan to fix the issue as quickly as possible.
What Happens During a Drain Clean?
A professional drain cleaning service can go a long way towards preserving the integrity of your pipes and the service they provide. Getting an inspection and cleaning service at least once a year means you don’t have to worry so much about how winter is going to affect your water and sewer access.
First, your plumber will do a video inspection of your sewer line to help identify any areas of concern. We then give you a thorough assessment, including any issues we’ve found, which ones require to most immediate attention, and a rough expectation of cost and time to get these issues fixed. Assuming that your drain system is fine, we can start the drain cleaning. Massie Creek uses advanced equipment like hydro jetting and high-powered drain snakes to tackle even the toughest blockages. After the cleaning, we send the camera back down to ensure that your drains are unclogged and ready to function properly.
Depending upon the extent of your home’s drains and underlying problems, a drain clean typically takes from 30 minutes to an hour.
Massie Creek has been serving the Beavercreek, OH community since 2016. Family-owned, we take pride in knowing what Ohio homeowners need to keep their pipes running smoothly. Our owners and employees are from the area, meaning that we aren’t just working for customers, but friends, neighbors, and family.