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When it comes to the plumbing system in your home, you need things in working order all the time. When a drain stops working or you’re not getting water to a fixture, it can throw a serious wrench in the flow of your day. The good news is, a lot of these problems can be prevented by simply calling a drain cleaning service every now and again to help you keep your pipes clean. If you want to avoid spending a fortune replacing drain pipes in your home, here’s what you should know about some of the most common drain pipe problems.

Clogs

As far as problems you’re likely to experience with a drain pipe, clogs are probably the most common. These clogs are a big reason there are so many successful drain cleaning services out there. The worst part is, they’re often preventable.
Clogs in drain pipes usually occur as a result of putting the wrong stuff down the drain. When water runs through your pipes, it’s supposed to break down the organic matter in them. Unfortunately, there are some things water simply can’t break down. As far as a clogged toilet goes, so-called flushable wipes are a common cause. While these wipes may be called flushable, drain cleaning services constantly have to remove them from drain pipes.
Being mindful of what you put down your kitchen sink is perhaps the most important. Even if you have a garbage disposal, you should try to avoid putting food down your kitchen sink drain. In particular, you should avoid foods like coffee grounds, egg shells and greases and fats. These foods can build up beneath your garbage disposal and cause clogs that are tough to dislodge.

Pipe Damage

While this problem goes beyond simply calling a drain cleaning service, pipe damage is a common problem when it comes to the drain pipes in your home. There are lots of different things that can cause pipe damage, including the composition of the soil and the age of the pipe. What’s important is that you get this damage fixed as soon as possible to prevent waste water from seeping out into the ground.
One of the more common causes of pipe damage in drain pipes is corrosion caused by using the wrong type of drain cleaner. While Drano might be the most popular option when it comes to knocking a clog out of your pipes, the caustic chemicals in Drano can actually damage pipes. Instead, you should use an enzyme-based drain cleaner or call a service.
Sometimes a pipe is damaged because of the way it physically moves. If the ground shifts quite a bit or a heavy rock or other object gets pushed up against a pipe, it could cause damage. Oftentimes, this damage is caused by the ground shifting at a point where it puts stress on the middle of the pipe and eventually breaks it.

Roots

Roots growing into a drain pipe can cause a huge mess, especially if your drain pipes are buried deep underground. There are a couple different ways roots can grow and damage a pipe, but the bottom line is that it’s important to get rid of the roots or simply replace the pipe to fix the problem.
In some cases, roots may grow into your pipes because there’s already a hole or crack in the pipe that’s letting moisture out. Since roots look for moisture to get nutrients, they tend to grow toward sources of moisture underground. In other cases, a tree may grow its root ball around the pipe and cause significant damage due to excess pressure.
If you don’t have a lot of root damage, you may be able to have a drain cleaning service simply remove the roots. Keep in mind that this is only a temporary fix. At some point in time, you’ll need to have a plumber replace the drain pipe so it isn’t leaking waste water into the ground. While this costs a lot more than simply hiring a drain cleaning service, it’s the only long-term fix when roots are growing into pipes.

Age

No matter what type of pipe or fixture you’re talking about, it’s important to remember that age plays a big role. Even if you have a drain cleaning service regularly unclog the pipes at your Orange County, CA, home, they will need to be replaced at some point. How often you need to replace pipes depends on what they’re made of.
Cast iron drain lines are fairly common in older homes, so there’s a good chance you have a cast drain line if your home was built in the early 20th century. Cast iron drain lines generally last somewhere between 75 and 100 years, so it’s about time to replace yours if it was installed in the mid-20th century. Clay pipes are also common for sewage lines in older homes, although they only last about 50 to 60 years.
If you ask a drain cleaning service or plumber what type of pipe you should use for your sewer line, they’ll recommend PVC. While PVC hasn’t been used long enough to get a true understanding of how long it lasts, most experts agree that a PVC sewer pipe will last indefinitely if it isn’t physically damaged by something.

Get Some Help

No matter how hard you try to keep your drain pipes clean, you never know when a problem is going to arise. The best thing you can do is look for problems and call a plumber if you notice anything.
If you need help getting a drain pipe unclogged in your Orange County, CA, home, bluefrog Plumbing + Drain can help. From drain cleaning service to installing brand new drain pipes and water supply lines, we do it all. Give us a call at (949) 775-4682 to schedule an appointment today.

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