As floor drain is hidden from an eye, experienced plumbers notified the problem of ignoring it and as a result inappropriate maintenance. Actually, floor drain doesn’t differ from usual drains in baths, sinks or showers, except placing of course.
All drains have the only purpose- to flush water from the surfaces. Drain in floor is installed in places, where water should move out fast and in effective way. This is why the most common places of its location are basements, laundries, garages, rarely driveways or even patios.
As drains in the floor are not caught by an eye too often, homeowners usually ignore them. This is why no appropriate maintenance performed by tenants until serious problems come. Although a couple of preventive measures and regular checks may help owners to avoid problems with floor draining. Excellent Plumbing offers you to acknowledge the main tips below in order to prevent undesirable consequences, like flooding, breaches and further water damage that leads to huge repair expenses.
CARE YOUR TRAPS
In case drain is situated indoors it helps to move water more effectively out of sinks, water heaters, tubs and toilets, washing machines and dishwashers. Outdoor ones are aimed to avoid pools in the yard after rains. As we previously mentioned the main purpose is to make water go out faster from surfaces in order to keep the floor and other surfaces dry.
At the same time, traps serve as specific obstacles for odors and gases that prevent them from penetrating your place. Simple care may help your traps to work effectively without issues for a long time. It will be enough to fill them regularly with an appropriate amount of water. Pour off a gallon of usual water at each floor drain you have, so water will serve as a kind of barrier between odors from the sewer system and your home.
KEEP DRAIN FROM CLOGS
Unfortunately, the floor is a place, where lots of debris may be left: hair and fur from pets, dust, small garbage. All of the abovementioned may be a reason for floor drain clogs. So if you noticed draining on a floor became slowly, you may know it is one of the signs of possible clogging. As faster you will remove the clog and its reason, as lower will become a probability of flood.
TOOLS TO USE
- Use plunger in order to handle the clog. Usually, it will not take much time and effort in case of insignificant clogging.
- The alternative way to handle this issue is to apply vinegar and soda mix, flushing it directly in a drain.
- It is also nice to have auger to clean the drain by breaking obstacles in it. It would be enough just to put the auger into the drain till resistance will be met
REGULARITY
The best way to avoid floods and significant clogs are to check drains regularly. The recommended frequency is at least once per quarter. If you haven’t cleaned your drains for a long time it would be a good idea to invite experts for prophylactic workings and then to maintain drains by yourself. Excellent Plumbing professionals are ready to help with it and provide you with services of good quality and short terms.
We are ready to help in this and other services. Just contact us 847-929-9229 and save your time and money with us!
Sometimes it happens, when drain clogging suddenly appears. If the problem will not be removed immediately, it can cause lots of problems. For example, sinks or bath, or shower, or toilet will be unavailable for usage. Additionally, chronical clog may appear, so the risk of water leaking and even floods becomes rather probable. As the result, homeowner may spend lots of time and money for restoration from the water damage and repair works.
One of the simple ways to remove clog is to apply ready chemical mix that is available in any market directly to clogged drain. Although sometimes you need to act fast, while you do not have this mix at home. Another reason to find alternative option is toxicity of chemicals offered by markets and damage that they can cause to you pipes.
Excellent Plumbing offers simple, cheap and effective alternative, that may be prepared at home with things you may have. Such method will not only save you pipes, but prevent chemicals going into the environment and leading to pollution.
So prepare next ingredients:
- Baking soda – half of a cup;
- Vinegar – full cup;
- Hot water.
Steps to be performed:
- Take off the stopper from the drain;
- Pour off soda directly into the drain and add vinegar to it;
- Give this mix 10 minutes to process with clog;
- Flush the hot water;
- Return stopper at its place.
In case drain wasn’t maintained for a while, and clog appeared is rather big, the procedure should be repeated for couple of times. In case it didn’t help it may evidence more serious problem, so professional help can be required. You can always contact Excellent Plumbing for consulting, problem identification, cleaning and other plumbing services.
We are ready to help in this and other services. Just contact us 847-929-9229 and save your time and money with us!
