Drain Cleaning: How To Unclog Your Roof Drains | San Antonio, TX
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During autumn, the pleasant colors of the foliage is a sight to behold. However, the withering leaves land up in your home’s roof only to clog your roof drains. The accumulation of leaves during autumn is commonplace and something that is beyond our control.
Not just leaves but, rain, debris, and other extreme weather conditions can also lead to accumulation of debris in the roof drain over time. Although the roof drain serves as protection, if you don’t pay attention to it from time to time, it can wreak havoc.
This is because it can cause water and other contaminants to back up on the roof and standing water can do more damage than you can imagine. From leak hazards to even causing a roof collapse, an unclean and clogged roof drain can be detrimental for your home.
The most common fix you will likely have to perform periodically is drain cleaning so that you can keep your roof drains debris-free. Here’s all you need to know about effective drain servicing for a safe and leak-free home during all seasons:
Drain Cleaning: Steps to Unclog your Roof Drain
Conduct an Inspection
If there is a clog in your roof drain, the first step for drain cleaning is to inspect it. Clear any leaves or debris around the drain. Also, take a look inside the drain to ensure that there’s no underlying obstruction.
If you have a drain cover, unscrew the drain cover with caution and shine your flashlight inside to inspect it internally.
If there is an accumulation of leaves and gunk, you can remove it with a wet vacuum cleaner or pipe brush and remove it with your gloved hands.
It’s also possible for tiny critters or birds to be the culprit. Birds may construe it as a safe nesting spot secluded away from predators and use the accumulated bed of leaves as a cozy nest. In such cases, it’s best to seek professional help to safely and ethically remove the critters and then undertake drain cleaning.
Snake the Drain
Drains can be cleaned with a simple drain snake. However, as easy as it sounds, it’s not child’s play and better to be done with the expert guidance of a plumber.
Only DIY if you know how to and with the right tools. You can feed the snake down to force the clog outside, expelling it toward the outlet pipe.
If the clog is sticky, thick, or too hard to clear in the first attempt, the process must be repeated several times for thorough cleaning. You can also opt for a power auger; however, de-clogging with a power auger can end up turning into a costly repair if you damage the pipe in the process. If you fail to keep its pressure setting low, it can cause a crack in the pipe.
To remove any discomfort and save time, it’s recommended to seek the help of an experienced plumber who can do the de-clogging without any hassles.
Hose It Down
Water pressure can do wonders to fix a clogged drain quickly and is one of the most effective cleaning processes. You can feed your garden hose down the drain and turn it on to push over the clog to the drainage outlet.
If the clog persists, the water pressure applied in the drain may build up and come back out the top. However, with constant water pressure, it will eventually give in and the clog can be forced out for a complete cleaning.
For even more thorough cleaning, you can enlist the services of a San Antonio, TX plumber who may use a similar process of hydro-jetting to de-clog your roof drains in a jiffy. Hydro-jetting can be an effective cleaning option if you have difficulty to pass a hose down your roof drain.
Seek Professional Assistance
There are other expert drain cleaning methods like blow bags, sewer jetters and more. However, these methods call for the expertise of a plumber’s safe hands to apply the appropriate cleaning technique aptly, without causing further damage.
When it comes to clogged drains, the professionals have been there and done that, and so turn to an experienced plumber to get rid of clogs effectively in your home.
Besides, if you have attempted the simple drain cleaning methods to get rid of the clog on your own and still the problem persists, it can indicate a deeper problem. It’s possible that the problem is not actually a clog but rather improperly installed or cracked pipes. This can lead to water pressure and reduce drainage outflow. Only an expert can locate such internal cracks and so ensure to call in a local plumber.
Make Drain Cleaning Routine
‘An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.’ A little bit of periodic cleaning, especially during the San Antonio, TX autumn time, can go a long way to prevent clogs from accumulating in your roof drain in the first place. Set a schedule for cleaning your drains and stick to it to avoid costly mishaps.
Avail Professional Roof Drain Cleaning Services at Your Doorstep
Unclogging a roof-drain can be a tricky business. It involves accessing your roof by climbing a ladder, which can be risky for beginners. Besides, electrical wires, danger from nesting animals, and inclement weather conditions can get in your way to make it harder. Therefore, a wise move would be to employ local servicemen at bluefrog Plumbing + Drain of San Antonio who are experienced and equipped to do the job. Contact us for all your drain cleaning needs and get to the root of the problem with an optimal solution.
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