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When it comes to indoor plumbing, it is easy to forget about your floor drain. They are usually located on the bottom level of your home and placed out of sight which in turn allows them to easily float out of your mind. However, when a floor drains floods you will instantly be aware of its presence in your McKinney, TX home. Regular drain cleaning is one way to prevent a floor drain from flooding, but there are many other issues that can be prevented with simple maintenance. That is one reason why most plumbers will recommend regular service and cleaning on the plumbing system in your home.
What Is a Floor Drain?
As noted above, floor drains are usually placed on the lowest level of your home as well as near garages, laundry rooms, and driveways when the water is likely to pool. They sit flush with the ground and are placed to take care of areas where water can build up quickly. The purpose of the floor drain is to efficiently drain water as necessary.
However, since they are easy to ignore most homeowners forget about maintaining them until flooding occurs. At this point, it’s too late because with flood damage often comes water damage. Regular drain cleaning in McKinney, TX will always cost less than flooding and expensive water damage. Plus, you will probably need an emergency plumber which increases the price. The good news is there are a few things you can do to help avoid this type of situation from developing.
Check and Fill Your Traps Often
The design of a floor drain is quite simple. They are flush drains that can empty water but also prevent sewer odors and gases from entering your home. Indoor drains are designed to capture the overflow from washing machines, toilets, etc. whereas outdoor floor drains are designed to remove water from sloped surfaces following heavy storms or melting snow.
After a large amount of water drains out of the floor drains it is common for the balance of water in the trap to get disrupted. You need water in the trap to stop the odors from wafting upwards. While the bad odors may indicate that you need drain cleaning, it may also indicate that you need more water in your trap. Simply pour a gallon or so of water down the floor drain to see if it’s the trap. The water fills the trap to create a barrier between your sewer and home. Once filled, the odors can no longer work their way upwards. If you still notice them, then it’s time to call in a professional plumber to inquire about drain cleaning services.
Immediately Treat Any Clogs
If you have any reason to think that there is a clog in your floor drain or are certain that there is a clog, you need to act immediately. The longer you wait the greater the risk of severe water damage because a small backup can quickly turn into a massive backup based on plumbing usage and the size of the clog.
The simple truth of the matter is that debris builds up quickly on the floor. From pet hair to dirt to dust bunnies to leaves, basement floors and garages collect a lot of debris without you even noticing. All of this can compile inside a drain eventually leading to a clogged floor drain. The quicker you act to fix the clog the easier it is to prevent a major clog.
Luckily, if you pay attention to your floor drain you can usually tell that a clog is forming. The first sign is usually that your drain is suddenly draining much slower than usual. At this point, there is no flooding, so it is imperative that you call a professional plumber. Sometimes you can use a plunger to get out a minor clog, but if you use the plunger and the drain is still slow to drain its time to call in a professional plumber in McKinney, TX.
A plunger can only reach what is on the surface, and if the clog is farther down the line you may not be able to reach it on your own. This is where an expert with the right tools will be of much more use to you. They also can use a video scope if needed to look directly at the clog and figure out what is behind it.
Sometimes it is not debris at all, but tree roots that have grown into your line. In this case, the method of drain cleaning is much different and much more complex than a plunger and some baking soda. A professional can quickly isolate the problem and with proper drain cleaning techniques have it remedied for you in no time.
Stop Drain Issues Completely with Regular Drain Cleaning
The best way to never have to worry about clogs is by hiring a plumbing company for annual drain cleaning. You can check your own drains on a seasonal basis by looking at them and removing any visible debris. Indoors this may just mean keeping the area around the drains clean, outside this may mean stopping to scrape leaves and other debris out of your flood drains on a regular basis.
While it is never too late to start drain cleaning your floor drains if it has been a while since you have paid them any attention it is best to call a professional plumber. The trained plumbers at bluefrog Plumbing & Drain of Northeast Dallas will be happy to come out and assess your drains. bluefrog can get you set up on an annual drain cleaning schedule so that even if you forget your floor drains, we never will.
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