Many things can cause the drains in your home to start to slow, or worse, stop working altogether. Dealing with slow or clogged drains can be challenging, and you may need to call a plumber for drain cleaning to get them working correctly.

Slow Drains

Often the first sign of a problem with the drains in your home is slowing of the drains when you are running water in the sink or shower. The water may be draining, but if it is draining slow enough to pool in the basin or tub, the drain is not allowing enough water to move through at the right speed. 

Drain cleaning can make a significant difference in the drain's ability to work correctly, so if the drains in your home are starting to slow, it is an excellent time to consider hiring a drain cleaning specialist and have them evaluate the problem for you. The drain cleaning specialist will often recommend jetting the entire drain system to remove any debris or build up in the pipes before they become completely blocked. 

Jet Cleaning

A drain cleaning specialist will often use a technique called jetting to clear the drains in your home. The drain system is opened at the cleanout on the sewer line, and a high-pressure water hose is inserted into the system through the cleanout. 

Water is pumped into the line at extremely high pressure so that any material on the walls of the pipe is dislodged and then washed down the sewer line. If there is an obstruction in the line, the water will break it up from below the clog, which is often easier than trying to force it through the pipe from above. 

If you have a drain cleaning specialist jet your drains, they will typically clean the entire system. The jetting leaves the drains clean and smooth and makes it more difficult for things like paper or hair to get snagged on the walls inside the pipe, keeping things flowing better.

Damaged Pipes

A drain cleaning service can often do an interior inspection of the drains with a fiber optic camera for you to determine if there are any sections of pipe or drain line that is damaged inside. Pipes with thin walls or heavy damage on the inside of the pipe may be near failure and may need attention before cleaning. 

If the drain in your home is acting up because of a damaged pipe, the drain cleaning specialist may recommend that you have a plumber replace that section of the pipe before cleaning the drains. Cleaning the drains with the high-pressure system could further damage the pipe section and cause it to leak or rupture.