We like to emphasize the importance of drain cleaning. It’s one of the best ways to maintain a healthy and trouble-free plumbing system in a home, especially in the kitchen, where food and cooking grease can create an immense buildup along the drainpipes, leading to frequent clogging.

We’ve put together a few of the more common questions customers ask about drain cleaning, along with the answers right from our experts.

“Are sink plungers a good way to clear out clogs?”

For some clogs, yes. Unlike chemical drain cleaners you can purchase at the grocery store along the same aisle with the mops, plungers aren’t damaging to drains. However, they suffer from two limitations: 1) they can only break through simple clogs, and 2) they don’t actually clean the drains. You’ll need professionals for that job.

“Why call professionals to use drains snakes when I can buy one myself?”

There are many inexpensive drains snakes (a.k.a. drain augers) purchasable online and in hardware stores. These snakes, much like plungers, can take care of minor clogs. But the drain snake that your plumber uses is a motorized device that does a much more thorough job—and which requires training to operate so it won’t damage the pipes.

“Is there consumer-grade hydro-jetting equipment?”

No. And there shouldn’t be. Hydro-jetting uses powerful blasts of high-pressure water, which presents major safety hazards in untrained hands. Not only are professional hydro-jetters too expensive for consumers to produce, they also require extensive training in order to be used safely and effectively. Professionals also wear special safety gear when doing hydro-jetting. If you want thorough drain cleaning, let the experts do the job. It’ll save time, money, and prevent anybody from getting injured.

If you have any additional questions about drain cleaning, or if you want to arrange for service in East Dundee or elsewhere in Chicagoland and Fox Valley, call Lifeline Plumbing, Heating & Cooling.