In older times, drainage systems and pipework were crude and often inefficient. While you could always take a bath in a river, having access to hot water and good sanitation was rarer compared to today. In modern times, sewage and plumbing are not just standard household commodities. They are also well-monitored systems that keep communities clean and sanitized.

As a homeowner, you have probably worked on or dealth with your plumbing systems many times. From clogged drains to blocked pipes, these issues can be a headache for many. While some plumbing repairs may be easy to solve, others are a bit more tricky. At this point, you’ve probably tried a few DIY tricks, but not having much success. This is when a professional drain cleaning company comes in to help you out.

6 Signs to Clean Your Drains

To know when you need to call in the for a sewer and drain cleaning service conducted by professionals, here are the warning signs you should look out for to save you and your family from a smelly disaster.

1. You Have One or More Slow Drains

If you notice your sink draining slower than usual, it is likely caused by food blockage or other types of buildup. However, if you see that your tub, sink, and dishwasher are all beginning to work up, this is an indication of a larger problem. Multiple slowly draining drains usually mean that you have a clog starting somewhere down the line.

What you throw down your drains are the usual suspects if they start to slow down. Oil, grease, and bits of food can easily hit your sinks. In addition, hair, soaps, and the grime from your workday are often responsible for poorly draining showers. In some cases, it should be enough to simply remove the top part, but other situations require a deep cleaning that goes down into your pipes.

Regardless, make sure you stay mindful of how quickly your drains remove water. Addressing the gunk earlier is the key to minimizing your headaches and saving yourself from avoidable damage. The moment you notice the drains working slower than normal, it should be enough of a warning sign that there is a problem somewhere.

2. You Hear Unusual Sounds When You Use Your Drain

Nobody wants to wake up in the middle of the night because of odd sounds and gurgles. However, you may just experience this if you have problems with your sewage and plumbing. Specifically, a blocked or clogged system can cause gurgling or bubbling sounds, both of which are not welcome in any home.

A clogged pipe causes interruptions in the plumbing systems, which alters the natural flow and mixes up the directions of anything inside them. Gases and liquids that slosh around can create these gurgling and bubbling sounds, which indicates that something might be starting to form in your pipes and sewerage lines.

Whenever you start to hear those weird sounds, you should immediately contact your local sewer cleaning company to help assess your potential blockage. Having your pipes as quiet, clean, and free from clogs will ensure proper drainage and water flow.

3. You Have Standing Water

Standing water is perhaps one of the most common signs of a drainage problem at home. If you find that the water is not going down in your faucet, sink, or shower, this is probably a sign that you have a blocked drain. Ask any drain cleaning company, and they will tell you that having standing water means the start of an unwanted clog.

This problem can be found anywhere—in your sinks, showers, and even in your laundry machines. Unfortunately, water that does not drain or go away in a decent amount of time can lead to larger problems if left unaddressed. Standing water indicates that the blockage in your drain has either gotten too thick or too strong for all the water to pass through conventionally.

Generally, if you find standing water, this means one of two things. Either you will get your hands dirty, or you call in a professional plumber to do the work. Regardless, your pipes need to be cleaned immediately, or you risk leaving the water standing for a long time.

4. You Smell Unpleasant Odors From Hidden Places

A common complaint you will hear from most people near a plumber deep in their work is the horrendous smell. Pipes, especially ones that carry more than water, tend to hide the worst of smells all year round. Your lines may be filled with all kinds of fuzz and residue, which can create the most unpleasant odors when they mix together.

A telltale sign that you need to give the plumbing professionals a call is having one of those pesky scents lingering in your home no matter how much you clean the place. Many homeowners have probably experienced that off-putting smell that reeks the whole house, but nobody knows where it is coming from. To make it worse, the scent usually gets progressively worse over time.

Before jumping into a bandaid fix like air fresheners, give your pipes a check to see if something has been accumulating in them. Even though they seem to be working well and have no blocks, you can sometimes miss out on the buildup on the pipe walls. In most cases, sticky food or waste is the usual culprit. These will stick and expunge their odors from within the pipes.

Always remember that what you throw down your pipes may go out of control. Even the smallest sludge and food particles can turn into molds and other fungi, creating the most foul odors that permeate your home. When this happens, it would be best to ask a professional to check your pipes to ensure that you get rid of all the buildup.

5. You Experience Water Backups or Overflowing Toilets

Water backups are one of the most dreaded problems for homeowners, so much that many consider it the endgame of having a clogged or blocked sewage system. When you get back home after a long day of work, the last thing you want is to see your wastewater backing up.

A water backup is usually the result of a complete blockage in your pipes. Whenever you open up the tap or start up your washing machine, the displaced water has to go somewhere. If it does not have anywhere to go, then it will shoot back out, carrying with it all the things you wanted to flush down. This is why you may sometimes notice the sink turning brown when you flush the toilet.

Water backups are the number one reason why you should not skip on your plumbing repairs. They not only have a foul odor but also pose a serious health hazard to anyone at home. However, if it comes to this point, ringing up a professional drain or sewer cleaning company will be your best chance to minimize expenses and reduce the damage done.

One familiar example of this problem would be backed-up toilet. You can easily take your plunger and remove the blockage with good old elbow grease, but a shower or kitchen issue may run more deeply than what your typical cleaning tools can reach. These blockages will cause backflow and potentially lead to leaks in unexpected parts of your home, so it would be best to get professional help for these cases.

6. You Have Recurrent and Multiple Clogs

Clogs are sometimes tricky, making homeowners think that everything is working proeprly when there is secretly another underlying blockage. Having recurrent blocks or even multiple clogs all at the same time may be an indication of a deeply blocked section of pipe. If you initially fixed up a blocked drain and it comes back in a couple of weeks, this problem may be the culprit.

Gunk, grime, and oil can clump up anywhere. They can all equally clog any part of your system if given a chance. If you have some DIY tips and tricks or have some drain cleaners available at home, these can help you degrease some of your pipes. However, products can only go so far when you have deeply seated clogs.

If you are not familiar with pipework, the best course of action would be to bring in some professionals. Fixing multiple clogs is more tricky than it sounds, and you risk causing injury or property damage if you do it incorrectly.

Work with a Professional Sewer and Drain Cleaning Company

While having some DIY knowledge on how to fix drain problems can come in handy, there are cases when you need to call in professionals. Everyday hacks like hot water or white vinegar mixtures are effective in some circumstances, but they are only suitable for minor clogs. Bigger problems like significant blockages require more technical skills and knowledge.

If pouring in liquid cleaners is not enough or you are unsure about what you are doing, then you should not hesitate to call our team to help you out. Leaving the problems to sit will only lead to larger problems in the long run. So if you spot any of the warning signs listed above, contact Family Plumbing today at 306-519-3722 to fix your drain problems.