Does Your Drain Need To Be Repaired?
Drains endure a lot. They are wet almost constantly, and they need to stand up to soap and various cleaners that you rinse down them, too. As such, drains are typically made from durable plumbing materials such as PVC and copper. These materials can stand the test of time, but that does not mean drains never need to be repaired. As a homeowner, it's a good idea to watch out for these signs that your drains need repair so you can reach out to a plumber for repairs when needed.
Drips of Water Beneath the Sink
Every now and then, open the cabinet under your sink and take a look around. Do you see any drips of moisture? These could be coming from a leaky drain pipe. If the water is clear, it could instead be coming from a leaky fresh water pipe. But either way, a plumber needs to fix the problem, either by replacing a pipe or tightening a connection. If you ignore this issue, you will soon end up with mold growth under the sink or a larger link, so call quickly.
Foul Odors
If you have stinky odors coming from your sink, it could be because the sink has grease or soap scum buildup. Try pouring some baking soda and vinegar down it, and see if that helps. If the odors remain, then you may be facing a bigger issue, such as a broken vent. There could also be a rough spot inside the pipe that is grabbing onto debris that's then rotting and smelling. A plumber can fix a broken vent by replacing it, and they can fix a rough spot by sleeving the pipe. This means inserting a vinyl or plastic sleeve inside the pipe to prevent contact between the water and the actual pipe itself. (This approach can also be used to fix a leaky drain pipe.)
Gurgling
When you send water down a drain, it should circle the drain a little and then go down cleanly. If it glugs and gurgles on the way down, then air is not escaping the system as it should. You may have a blocked vent, or your pipe may be narrowing due to mineral buildup. A plumber can remove sections of pipe that are too covered in minerals and replace them with clean sections of pipe.
If you have a drain repaired promptly, you can often avoid bigger problems later on. For more information on drain repair, contact a professional near you.
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