CCB 220077
Oregon Plumbing License - 2024PB
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Drain Cleaning Services
Tualatin Valley Plumbing offers drain cleaning service in Portland, & surrounding communities.
Kitchen Drains
If you notice that your kitchen sink is slow to drain, you most likely have a clogged drain. It may be tempting to ignore slow drainage, but unfortunately, a slow drain is more than just an inconvenience. Drain issues just get worse over time. Eventually, the drain will become so clogged that the water will back up into your sink, filling your sink with dirty water and grime. Water from your dishwasher can also back up into the sink because they typically share the same drain line.
To prevent clogs, it is important that you never pour grease, oil, or fats down the drain. Even though they enter the drain as liquid, when they cool, fats solidify and coat the inside of the drainpipe. Over time, layers build, until the drain becomes blocked.
Other substances and materials that lead to clogs in the kitchen overtime include soap, food, and non-food items such as bits of sponge. Of course, that does not mean you should stop washing your hands or dishes in the sink, but you should be conscientious of how you are treating your drains. Hot water can help dissolve residue from dish soap, hand soap, and hand lotion. Just remember not to run hot water while using your garbage disposal. Whether you have a garbage disposal or not, the list of foods that should not go into your drains remain the same. These include pasta, rice, eggshells, and fibrous vegetables. You can read more about that on our garbage disposals page. Non-food items can make their way into the drain without you even noticing. If you use a sponge to wash your dishes or scrub your sink, you should replace it when it starts to fray.
Bathroom Drains
A clogged drain in the bathroom can really slow down your daily routines. The longer you ignore the problem, the worse it usually gets. Besides being inconvenient, a clog can lead to major damage. When pipes back up, they overflow, allowing water to seep into the floor and walls. Black mold and other microbial growth can flourish in a wet environment, so it is important to prevent a small problem from turning into a much bigger problem.=
One of the biggest culprits of a clog in the bathroom is hair. Strands of our hair fall out every time we bathe or shower and make their way into the drain. Once there, hair combines with soap scum, skin flakes, and dirt- the perfect recipe for a clog. When you use the bathroom sink, you add toothpaste into the gooey mix. Dropping some dental floss in there is like icing on the cake.
Brushing your teeth, washing your hands, and showering or bathing, are all necessary daily activities. You really cannot stop shampoo and soap from going down the drain. However, you can stop other things like hair, dental floss, threads from wash cloths, or torn off pieces of sponge from going down the drain. A drain cover is an inexpensive and easy way to prevent clogs. They come in different materials, colors, and styles, and are designed to protect flat drains, pop ups, or both. As for the liquids and gels, pouring hot water, and natural cleaning agents such as vinegar and baking soda, down the drain can help rinse out scum and debris. Enzymes are also a safe option because they are chemical free and naturally eat away build up. You should not pour chemicals down the drain. Beside not being eco-friendly, chemical products can damage your drains.
Toilets
There is never a convenient time to have a clogged toilet. Unfortunately, clogged toilets are a common plumbing issue. Small clogs can often be cleared just by using a plunger, which most of us already have sitting next to our toilet. If you frequently need to use the plunger to unclog your toilet, you might be flushing things that should not be flushed. Old low flow toilets can frequently clog because they have less pressure to push flushed items through the drain and trap. In that case, it might be time to treat yourself to a new toilet. Either way, whatever you do, do not panic. Repeatedly flushing the toilet in hopes of clearing the clog is more likely to make your toilet overflow, causing unsanitary conditions and damage.
Another cause of your clogged toilet could be a clogged sewer line. Plunging will not clear the blockage. Sewer lines can become blocked by tree roots, kitchen debris and grease, flushed materials, a break in the pipe, or a sag in the line. You will need to call a professional to determine the cause of the blockage and offer the best solution for your plumbing problem.
The best way to prevent a clogged toilet is to be careful about what gets flushed. Toilets are designed to be able to flush toilet paper. Too much toilet paper flushed all at the same time can get stuck in the P-trap. Only use as much toilet paper as is needed to get the job done. If you require extra, consider flushing more frequently. Toilets should not be used for trash disposal. Food, debris, and goldfish are not meant to go down the drain. Keeping your toilet lid closed is a good way to stop non-flushable items from falling into the toilet, especially if you have young children at home. That will save small toys, toothbrushes, or even a cell phone from an accidental flush. Other items that should not be flushed include the following: paper towels, diapers, baby wipes, feminine hygiene products, cotton balls or swabs, medication, kitty litter, cigarette butts, and toxic chemicals.