Plumbing Emergency Memphis
Call Now to Speak with a Plumber Near You
(901) 763-8596

Serving Memphis and Vicinity: Bartlett, Cordova, Germantown, Collierville, Whitehaven,
Lakeland, Frayser, Ellendale, Arlington, Millington, Eads, Rossville, Brunswick, Macon

Clogged Drain

When To Hire A Plumber To Fix Your Clogged Drain

A clogged drain is always a nuisance. Some of these incidents can be more of a problem than others. Things that go down a drain are usually waste, so they are never pleasant to deal with. The only exception are items you accidentally throw down your drain.

drain cleaning service

You should call in a plumber as soon as you suspect or detect such an issue.

Some people believe they can sort out clogged drain problems by themselves. More often than not, they make use of harsh chemicals to unclog those drains. Even though this method is fairly inexpensive and convenient, it is only a temporary fix and it has some negative consequences.

Professional plumbers don’t use chemicals, due to the fact that they are highly corrosive. In time, the frequent use of such corrosive substances may cause severe damage to pipes and septic systems. On long-term, the use of chemicals becomes very expensive, as the replacement of plumbing systems isn’t cheap. Knowing this, it’s easy to understand why you should call a plumber to unclog your drain instead of pouring those pesky chemicals.

What Factors To Asses Before Contacting A Plumber To Fix Your Blocked Drains:

How Big Is The Mess?

If there’s wastewater all over your house, you must consider you are in an emergency situation and call the plumber immediately. Even if the mess looks manageable, it can escalate extremely fast, causing even more damage to your assets and to the building itself. Replacing all floors, appliances and furniture and repairing the walls will surely cost you a lot more than the services of an experienced plumber.

Which Areas In Your House Are The Most Affected?

If your entire house is affected by water, you should call the plumber immediately. If the damage is rather contained, you may still need to hire a plumber, but you won’t have to treat it as a top emergency.

How Often Do You Use The Clogged Drain?

Another thing to consider is whether you need to use that drainage a lot. If, for instance, the problem occurs in the spare bathroom you seldom use, you don’t need to seek for an emergency plumber. If, however, the clogged drain is in the only bathroom you have, you may not be able to wait for more than a few hours.

How Critical Is The Affected Drain?

The kitchen sink is one of the places that have to be addressed as soon as the problem arises. You’ll probably need to use this sink several times a day, and a clogged drain will be a nuisance.

Call a Plumber Immediately To Save Money.

When To Call For Plumbing Service?

Remember the old adage saying that a stitch in time saves other nine. In other words, call the plumber as soon as you detect the clogged drain. By addressing and fixing plumbing problems in their early stages you’ll save money in the long run. Contact us for any kind of drain cleaning service.

Drain Cleaning | 3 Helpful Pointers For Drain Cleaning

,

The possible scenarios are many. Perhaps you are trying to brush your teeth, but quickly discover that the drain is moving far too slowly. Maybe you jump in the shower and quickly wind up standing in a puddle. When these situations arise, your drain probably has a clog.

drain cleaning

It is highly advisable to conduct a proper cleaning of your drains no less than every couple of months. Accumulations of dirt, soap, hair and grime can create serious clogs that cause no end of trouble. Utilize the advice that follows as a way to stop drains from getting clogged in the first place or resolving those clogs if they occur.

Commercial Drain Cleaners

The most clear-cut way to work on a clogged drain is to purchase some commercial cleaning liquid. These types of products are made with bacterial agents designed to cause decomposition of the grime and buildup plugging the pipes. Pouring half a bottle of such a solution in to the drain, waiting several minutes and then flushing the system with water is all that needs to be done to solve the issue.

More Drain Cleaning Solutions For The Memphis Area

Clearing The Stopper

The majority of sinks are equipped with a stopper that plugs the drain when the user wants to capture the water. Stoppers are known for collecting dirt and grease, resulting in a slow-moving drain. If this happens, it is important to take a look at the stopper by disconnecting it from the lever mechanism. Then, the debris can be removed and the stopper reattached. If the pipes were not clogged, this is likely the answer that was required.

Mesh Strainers

There can be no doubt that hair is a primary culprit when it comes to a clogged shower drain. Long hair, short hair, all sorts of hair can cause frustrating backups. It simply is not always possible to stop hair from falling into the drain, so a great solution is to place a piece of mesh over the drain itself so that water can still escape, but the errant hairs will not.

Nothing is quite so frustrating as attempting to handle some sort of routine hygiene or cleaning task only to find that water will not go down the drain or does so in an extremely slow manner. The good news is that there are many simple, quick and cost-effective ways not only to address the problem once it happens, but also to prevent it from occurring in the future.

Clogged Drain? | DIY Strategies For Clearing A Clogged Drain

,

Our homes are the havens of rest and safety where we return after a day in the fields, trenches and offices. The safety and convenience of our natural surroundings is easily taken for granted until, quite unexpectedly, the amenities that make our life so great suddenly go on the blink. One of the most overlooked feature of the home is the indoor plumbing.

clogged drains

The way the wastewater is carried away through the tubes is a marvel of physics and engineering. It takes experience and insights to address issues with this system effectively. With this in mind, let’s look at the topic of drains and how they should be cleaned. As long as water is passing through the tubes, there will be a blockage eventually.

The responsibility of keeping these tubes and pipes flowing freely falls on the home occupants and the skills of a reliable plumber.

 

 

Regular maintenance ensures that the drains are kept:

  • Sanitary
  • Safe
  • Clean
  • Healthy to those living nearby

There are also many signs that drains and pipes are not functioning properly, including:

  • Water that does not flow down the sink
  • Foul odors emanating from sewers and pipes
  • Overflow in the toilets
  • Stale pools of standing water forming around the home

Drain cleaning is an important treatment that can restore the sewages works and drainage systems that have been affected by a clog. Serious plumbing issues are a more consistent situation in heavily populated regions and cities. If left unaddressed a serious health hazard as well as extensive property damage can ensue.

Leaking Drain Line

A clogged drain line can begin to leak in the most unexpected places and locating the site can take time while damage increases. This is why it is important to perform a thorough drain cleaning to avoid the onset of this minor catastrophe.

DIY Drain Cleaning Methods

In one scenario, a drain cleaning can be a minor operation which could even be handled by the novice DIY enthusiast. This involves a simple chemical compound available at your local supplies store. This can be effective at clearing moderately blocked passages and tubes. The strong chemicals can effectively melt the grease, hair and other debris that obstruct the drainage. This is the considered the most basic method of cleaning drains and pipes.

Professional Drain Cleaning Tools

But, drain cleaning is not always addressed with a chemical solution. There are actually a great many tools, agents and implements in a plumber’s tool box that can be unleashed on the most stubborn clog. The home pump is an example of one device that can be used as easily of the floor drains, kitchen sinks and bathtubs drains alike.

Drain cleaning is a fairly straightforward task except that it can become especially difficult when the home’s occupants become lethargic about their task. This can lead to inevitable clogs and obstructions that will need hefty reparations to restore. The smallest obstructions can cause major problems as well if they are not addressed promptly.

The Cause of Most Clogged Drains:

  • Hair
  • Dead Skin Cells and Soap Scum
  • Oils and Grease
  • Other debris including paper, pieces of jewelry, plastic and more.

It is most unfortunate when other larger harder materials find their way into the drains. Steel, stones, bones and metals can seriously damage the pipes from the inside and eventually require serious reconstruction.

Plumbing Tools: Snakes and Augers

Other implements that can address more serious clogs include drain augers, the plumber’s snake as well as pressurized air or water. When using these implements and tools to address clog it is essential that all obstructions are removed or the task has not been fully accomplished and will soon present itself in a new and more complex clog.

Many of these tools and implements are very potent or sharp and can inflict serious damage on the home’s plumbing from the inside if wielded by inexperienced plumbers.

How to Unclog Your Drain

,

One of the most important things to understand before charging in is that different drains require different tools. While you won’t always be able to DIY a problem, especially if the issues you are seeing are a result of a larger undiagnosed problem.

unclog a drain

The following are five important tips/methods to help you get that drain unclogged without having to spend money on a professional plumber.

Make Sure You Have the Right Plunger

Hey, did you know there’s one type of plunger for a toilet and one for a sink? They’re designed differently, too. Depending on which type of clog you’re dealing with, make sure you have the right plunger to help with the job. A simple image search of this question makes it easy to find and just 20 minutes of online reading will have you a virtual expert when it comes to shopping for plungers.

Use the Baking Soda & Vinegar Method

A popular home remedy, this is good for light and moderate clogs although it won’t bust out the toughest ones. However, it may soften it up for a follow up method to finish the job! For this you need a pot of boiling water on the stove, 1/3 cup baking soda, and a cup of vinegar.

Start by pouring one cup of boiling water to the side, then take the rest of the boiling pot of water, slowly pouring it down the drain. Dump the baking soda in immediately and leave it for 5 minutes. Mix the cup of vinegar with the left over water. Expect fizzing.

Sit for 20 minutes, then follow it out with another pot of boiling water.

The Wire Hanger

Take an old metal wire hanger, unwinding the neck but keeping the hook at the end. Get it down there, see what you can catch, and move that clog to at least get enough for another method to move.

Cheap Drain Snakes

This are inexpensive and easy to pick up from the store. Consider it the professional version of the wire hanger method. Learn to use these tools and see if you can do it yourself before paying a plumber to basically do the same.

Combo Methods

Combining these methods can be very effective. Start with the homemade draino, move things around with a wire hanger or drain snake, follow up with more boiling water and use a plunger if need be.

If Your Drain Is Clogged Might Be Time To Call a Plumber Near You?

If you are experiencing an issue with a clogged drain and these tips didn’t resolve your problem, then its probably is time to call the professionals.

The Importance Of Cleaning Drains | How To Keep Drains Clean

,

You need to take good care of your home so that it can be the best place possible for you and your family. Keeping your plumbing in top shape is one of the most important things you can do. Drains need to be cleaned on a regular basis to keep them flowing properly and to keep bacteria from growing and causing contamination or illnesses. If an excess amount of soap scum builds up it can lead to blockages and that can cause costly repairs.

drain cleaning

What can you do to keep drains clean?

This is an easy step to take. Check your drains regularly. Use strainers to keep hair and other debris from getting into the drain. Here are some more ways to keep your drains clean.

Check the pipes

Checking your pipes routinely will help keep them flowing properly and will keep your home’s plumbing system in great shape. Your pipes will lead from the home to a septic tank or to your city’s sewer connection.

You will know something is wrong if they stop flowing properly. If you notice any puddles of water around your sinks this is a sign that the pipes may have leaks. These can be inexpensive to fix if they are addressed quickly.

If your drains begin to clog or become blocked you need to take action as quickly as you can. Remove the hair, food or soap scum that gets into the drains by using a wire hanger. You can also flush your drains regularly by using a blend of baking soda and distilled white vinegar.

Prevent serious clogs

You can prevent serious clogs from building by making sure everyone in the house is careful around the sinks and drains. Do not pour grease down any drain. Be careful not to let food or hair go down the drains. Use strainers over each drain to catch excess debris and prevent it from clogging your drains.

Serious clogs can cause floods. While your homeowner’s insurance might pay for some plumbing issues it will not cover floods caused by a lack of maintenance.

What are advantages to getting proper plumbing maintenance for your drains?

Your plumbing company can help you with preventative maintenance. Once a year, they can come to your home and clean your drains to get rid of any potential clogs. They can also fix any leaks and make sure that your home’s plumbing trap is not blocked by tree roots.

Top 3 Reasons Why You Have A Clogged Drain

,

Interior plumbing has been around since 2500 B.C. That means that humans have been plagued by plumbing problems for a very long time, and continue to be. Fortunately, we are not in the Neolithic Era any longer when it comes to technology and plumbing services. However, the plumbing problems of today are many of the same ones we have always had.

clogged drain

The notorious clogged drain is among the major annoyances of homeowners, and this problem is one that occurs a lot more often than many people think it does. Although simple clogs are usually not a big problem if you don’t have your drains cleaned it can lead to additional problems that may cause your plumbing service needs to be more serious than just getting a leaky faucet fixed. Let’s look at the reasons why you may have a clogged drain.

Reasons For Blocked Drains:

Hair and soap

These are two of the main culprits of clogged bathroom and shower sink drains. It may not seem like a lot, but the constant buildup of soap and hair creates blockages that water is barely able to trickle through. Soap scum is created by hard water, soap chemicals, and hair, so one way to monitor any build up and catch the problem early is to stay aware of your drain speed.

Grease and food

Kitchen sinks tend to take a lot of abuse. Just because they wash down grease, food, and gunk from your dishes, doesn’t mean the kitchen drain is invincible. Food particles and grease collect together and form gelatinous masses over tie that sometimes become so large that a plunger suction is required to unblock them (this happens very commonly in commercial sinks in the beverage and food industry). Before bombarding your kitchen skin try to get as many of the chunky particles into the garbage as possible.

Old pipes

This problem is rarer, but still is a real thing that can happen. Old pipes that have even tiny cracks can be more vulnerable to many different intruders while buried underground. Some tree roots grow into pipes and end up clogging them and cause a lot of confusion after every type of drain clog remedy is tried with no success. This is now accounted for by plumbing services, but it is good to know what your home’s history is. Older houses with older structures are more likely to have these types of problems, so calculate your risks in advance.

Drains usually don’t get much attention, and they continue to faithfully perform their jobs every day. Keeping them clear and staying on top of things is as simple as just occasionally apply hot water and drain clearing chemicals.

If you notice a bathtub, shower, or sink is not draining as fast as it normally does, or water is starting to pool, you now know the things that might be causing it. Keep your drains cleared, since faithful maintenance can help to prevent plumbing repair from being necessary for as long as possible. 

3 Warning Signs That Your Plumbing Is Broken

, , ,

Whether you’ve just purchased your house or you’re a longtime homeowner, plumbing is one of the most common parts of the home to forget about. It’s all too easy to take for granted that you’ve got working pipes until something goes wrong. What might seem like a sudden disaster on your end has actually taken a long time to build up, and there are plenty of warning signs you may have missed.

broken plumbing

We’ve put together a list of some surefire signs that something is amiss with your plumbing. These issues might seem small, but even just one of them is reason enough to get in touch with a professional plumber right away. The longer you go without addressing these tiny plumbing problems, the sooner they might balloon into something much bigger.

Call a Plumber If You Experience Any Of These Problems.

No Water From Your Sink

This one might seem obvious, but it’s no joke: If your sink doesn’t let out any water when the knobs are turned, something is wrong! There could be many reasons for the lack of water flow, from a blocked main to a major leak somewhere in the pipes. Whatever the cause, it’s sure to lead to stress in a busy household. You should call a plumbing company immediately upon noticing this.

Constant Toilet Overflow

Listen, we all know that clogged and overflowing toilets happen. If you’ve flushed a lot of waste at once, it’s totally normal and understandable for a clog to happen. In these cases, you can just grab the plunger and get to work. Generally speaking, the problem will take care of itself after a few pushes of the plunger, and you don’t need to worry about it further.

Where an overflowing toilet becomes more problematic is when it happens all the time and for no apparent reason. For example, if you’re flushing down only a small amount of waste, or even no waste at all, and the toilet still struggles as though you’ve clogged it, something is wrong.

In many cases, this might mean there’s a problem with backup deeper within the piping that your sewage runs through. Just using a plunger won’t be much help with an issue like that, but a professional plumber can take care of it in a snap. Be sure to get in touch with a professional who has access to high-quality drain clearing materials.

No Hot Water

Here’s a nightmare scenario: You hop in the shower one morning, flip the switch and prepare for some nice, warm water, only to be met with a freezing cold stream. There’s nothing more uncomfortable than a cold shower, and you’ll also be unable to perform other important household functions like washing the dishes.

If you’re having trouble getting hot water from your faucets, there’s probably something going on with your water heater. Your house may be in need of a water tank or heater upgrade, or you may just need to get the pilot light up and running again. Either way, you should contact a plumber to check it out and determine what’s depriving you of warm water.

Give Us A Call Today For Immediate Plumbing Service.

When it comes to something as vital as plumbing, you need a group of professionals you can rely on. Our team of experts can provide the highest quality of service for all your plumbing upgrades, repairs, and other needs. Call us today to get all the details and schedule an appointment.