When it comes to household jobs, some are more pleasant to do than others. Watering the plants and washing the dishes are far less daunting jobs than mowing the lawn or cleaning the drains in the kitchen and bathroom. As a homeowner, you may have put off the latter job for entirely far too long, to the point where the drain is either filthy, backed-up with gunk, or both.
Unfortunately, you often cook and prepare food, wash your hands, and bathe in the areas where these drains are filling with gunk and bacteria. That’s very unsanitary. If you think to do anything with your drain at all, you may only pour some drainer cleaner down there and call it a day. Since you can’t see down into your drain, you can only assume the chemicals are doing their job.
However, if you haven’t touched any of your drains in a while, you’d be much better off calling a professional plumber. They can ensure the drain is completely fear and clear of buildup that can prevent water from running properly and cause strain on pipes. Need more incentive to call a plumber? Here are some reasons cleaning the drain is so important.
1. Breeding ground for mold
What thrives in dark, murky, damp, and wet areas? Mold. What can also cause symptoms like respiratory infections, runny nose, cough, and even fever? Mold. Breathing in mold is dangerous to a person in good health, but for those with asthma or allergies, it can be especially risky.
2. Breaking/broken pipes
Imagine this: as the family deposits their dirty dishes in the sink each night, small morsels of food make their way down the drain. They’re not supposed to, but it happens anyway. Eventually these accumulate into a bigger mass and water can’t pass through as easily. The pipes, new or old, now have to work that much harder to move water. What happens? The pipes are going to burst eventually, which is trouble for a homeowner.
3. Unwanted leaks
That’s because a broken pipe or plumbing fixture leads to leaks. These may be small and contained or they may be larger and more unpredictable. Either way, they can positively ruin the interior of a home and make the backyard into a giant puddle. You are much better off calling a plumber for an inexpensive drain cleaning now than paying to get the whole house redone later.
4. The longer you wait, the more it costs
On the note of money, every homeowner wants to save when possible. However, as more gunk and buildup accumulates in the drains throughout the house, it’s going to be a bigger job. That means shelling out more money, possibly on top of the costs of home repairs. However, if you’re diligent and get in touch with your plumber to schedule an annual pipe cleaning, you can avoid big jobs with a big price point.
If you’ve always taken care of cleaning your drains by using a liquid drain cleaner, you may not be doing enough. Get into a habit of scheduling a yearly drain cleaning with an area plumber for drains that work optimally all year long.
