A clogged drain is one of the most common types of plumbing issues that you can face as a homeowner. Although you can do your best to prevent unsafe objects from going down the lines, clogs can still develop over time.
At best, a clogged drain can seem like an annoyance. But, you should also know that a clog in the lines can lead to serious backups that place your health and property in jeopardy. If you’ve recently found yourself wondering how long it takes for a plumber to clear a clog, then you’re in luck!
Our trained plumbing technicians can often use their state-of-the-art equipment to clear drains in as little as a single visit. Exploring the techniques we use and how fast they work can help you make plans to efficiently remove clogs and get your property’s drains back in working order.
Are DIY Drain Clearing Methods Safe and Efficient?
If you’ve ever wielded a plunger, then you’ve successfully cleared a small clog. Plunging or flushing the drain with hot water can often clear minor blockages safely.
For greasy or known food clogs, you might try putting baking soda or vinegar down the drain and letting it sit before running hot water. The acidic bubbles this solution makes can help to break up fat and food residue. But, you might not be able to safely use this option if the water won’t go down the drain at all.
Commercial drain cleaners can sometimes damage pipes, and they are known to be caustic enough to cause chemical burns. If you want to use a drain cleaner, letting a professional use their preferred product and safety techniques prevents you from getting hurt.
What Techniques Do Plumbers Use for Drain Cleaning?
Professional plumbers have tools at their disposal that you won’t easily find at your local hardware store. Although our crew can definitely work a plunger if the task makes you queasy, we usually use one or several of these techniques to handle tough jobs.
Snaking the Lines
The plumbing snakes we use are stronger and longer than the plastic ones you’ll sometimes see in grocery stores. This method pushes through and catches clogs to help us remove them from the lines.
Using plumbing snakes correctly is important to avoid pushing clogs down the drain. Since many sewage lines contain potentially harmful gases and pathogens, it’s also best to leave this job to the professionals. We use protective gear and strategic techniques that minimize health risks to our team.
Hydrojetting
This modern technique uses high-pressure water to blast major clogs away. Depending on the type of clog you are dealing with, we can also use this technique to remove buildup, tree roots and other contaminants for long-lasting drain clearing. In fact, many people request hydrojetting services on a regular basis to avoid worries about slow drains.
Video Inspections
When time is of the essence, the last thing you want is to wait on someone to misdiagnose a clog in the pipes. A video inspection allows our team to see exactly what is causing the problem.
After a video inspection, we can offer you the most effective and budget-friendly solution for fixing the problem. This strategy is also ideal for identifying cracks or corrosion in the pipes that contribute to clogs developing.
What Factors Impact How Long It Takes to Clear a Clogged Drain?
Every plumbing case is different, which is why we can’t always estimate how long the drain clearing will take until we visit your home or commercial building. But, you can check out these actors that influence the time drain clearing requires to plan for our upcoming visit.
Consider the Type of Clog
We come across many different types of clogged drains in the Pensacola area. Some types, such as a bit of extra toilet paper in the bathroom pipes, may not take too long. Meanwhile, stubborn clogs caused by tree roots deep in the plumbing lines will take longer to remove due to their location and size.
Think About the Severity of the Clog
Minor clogs can typically be cleared with minimal effort. But, some clogs develop so slowly over time that they become large or are made up of multiple contaminants. For instance, a hair clog can attract greasy residue to create massive blockages in the lines.
Assess the Type and Accessibility of the Clogged Drain
A clog at the top of your kitchen sink or in the garbage disposal won’t take nearly as long as one will in the depths of the outdoor sewage lines. Our technicians consider where a clog is located before they can give you the most accurate timeline for the removal.
Bottom Line: How Long Should I Expect Drain Clearing to Take?
As a rough estimate, our crew can typically say with confidence that a minor kitchen or bathroom drain clog will take a few minutes to clear. If the clog is large or further down the line, we may tell you to expect us to work for several hours. This is especially true if we need to use a video inspection to identify the source of a mysterious clog.
Buildings with multiple or complicated clogs could take all day to clear the lines. In severe cases, we may need to come back over the course of several days to use state-of-the-art equipment to eliminate drain blockages.
If a clogged drain has a cause that includes cracks or breaks in the lines, then you may also need to plan for additional time to replace the plumbing components. In all cases, you’ll find that reaching out for help as soon as possible helps to decrease the drain cleaning time by halting unwanted buildup in the lines.
Quit Wasting Time On Slow Drains By Requesting Professional Drain Clearing
Are you tired of waiting for slow-draining water lines? Call Benjamin Franklin Plumbing in Pensacola, FL, for help. We like to tell our customers, “If there’s any delay, it’s YOU we pay!” Since no one should ever be stuck waiting for a sink or toilet to drain, we aim to send our technicians right away.
