If you notice slow drains and bad odor coming from your drain, you may have a drain clog. Drain clogs are a relatively common plumbing issue with a number of service options. Learn more about what drain cleaning method will be the best to treat your drain clog.

Drain Plunger 

Sometimes a drain clog can be resolved with a drain plunger. The user will create a tight seal around the drain and plunge it to create pressure that will, hopefully, force the clog to dissolve. Drain plungers only work on local clogs. 

Drain Snake

A drain snake is a small tool comprised of a wire with a pointed end and a manual crank. Plumbers enter the wire into your drain then turn the crank to break up local drain clogs. Drain snakes are inexpensive, but they aren't very long or strong, so they won't work for deep, stubborn clogs. 

Liquid Drain Cleaner

Chemical drain cleaners use chemicals to dissolve deep clogs (as long as the cleaner can reach the clog). Chemical cleaners vary in strength based on the active ingredients. Some of the most popular ingredients in chemical drain cleaners include sodium hydroxide, bleach, and sulfuric acid. While effective, chemical drain cleaners can cause damage to your plumbing. Therefore, chemical drain cleaners should be used sparingly. Furthermore, the ingredients are toxic, so you'll need to be careful to keep cleansers away from children and pets. 

There are gentler drain cleaners made from natural enzymes that can dissolve organic material in your pipes to prevent clogs but won't dissolve a drain clog quickly, especially if it's not made from organic material.

Powered Auger

A powered auger resembles a snake drain but is much larger and stronger. Powered augers have thick wires that reach deep into your drain to dissolve deep clogs. In order to use a powered auger, the plumber will feed the pointed wire into the drain until it reaches the clog. The plumber will then power on the auger, causing the tip to rotate at fast speeds. 

Hydrojetting

Hydrojetting cleans drains by flooding drain pipes with high-pressure water. The intense pressure will remove the gunk accumulated throughout the pipe as well as any clogs. Pipes can only take so much pressure, so hydrojetting isn't the best option for old pipes or weak pipes. It can damage the pipes, requiring pipe replacement. Hydrojetting is most often used on sewer drains as they tend to be made of strong material, such as cast iron. 

For more information about drain cleaning, contact a local company.