The drains in your home are tasked with carrying everything that you put down the sink to your city’s wastewater treatment facility, or to your septic tank. In most cases you probably don’t think too much about what is happening with those drains—that is, until something goes wrong. Unfortunately there are some myths out there about drain damage and repairs that, if you mistakenly believe, could end up costing you a lot of money and time.
Myth: I can fix damaged drains myself
Truth: The plumbing in your home is serious business—so much so that professionals spend years training before they become plumbers. Even someone with cursory knowledge of plumbing and drains could actually wind up doing a lot of damage if they make a mistake while repairing the drain, or if they damage other connecting parts. A person could even repair something correctly but cause connecting joints and pipes to offset, springing another leak somewhere else. It’s often best to leave this type of work to professional plumbing contractors.
Myth: Drain cleaner sold at the store is just as good as a professional
Truth: While there may be some small clogs or issues that a chemical drain cleaning product from the local hardware store can solve, they are not a substitute for all professional drain services. These cleaners cannot remove all obstructions and could even cause the pipes to corrode. When used incorrectly, these toxic chemicals could also cause painful injuries, such as burns to the skin, hands and face.
Myth: I saw a YouTube video about drain cleaning, so I know how to do it
Truth: True, you can find just about anything online these days, and how-to videos about drain cleaning are no exception. You can even rent machines and other equipment that will help with drain cleaning. The problem is that a three-minute tutorial on drain cleaning cannot really take the place of the training and work experience of a professional plumber, and sometimes the equipment that you think will help clear up a problem can actually cause damage and serious injury if you use it incorrectly.
Myth: It’s much less expensive to do my own plumbing repairs than pay a professional
Truth: In many cases, people who attempt to repair their own plumbing find that they have to hire a professional anyway (to fix the original problem, and any additional problems they caused by trying to repair it). Not only does this cost the same, or more, as it would have cost to hire the professional plumber in the first place, you have also wasted a lot of time that could have been better spent doing other things.
If you notice a problem with your plumbing and have a drain in need of repair, don’t believe all the myths out there; instead call a plumbing contractor in Utah to help you get it repaired right away.
