How Often Should I Have My Drains Cleaned?

"How often should I get my drains cleaned?"

This is a question our plumbers receive often, typically right after a drain cleaning had just occurred in a household. In truth, scheduled drain cleaning is something that is really only needed for commercial spaces, like restaurants, that have to endure regular exposure to grease. However, just because it doesn't need to be something that is scheduled doesn't mean you still don't want a timeline for it.

The good news is that when you have drain cleaning done by a professional rather than by DIY means, you typically do not have to worry about cleaning the drain again for a long while. Unlike chemical drain cleaners or even the use of the clog-busting drain snake tool, professional services are likely to use a technique known as hydro jetting (which is what A R Engh provides). This busts up clogs with a forward jet, but also sprays out to the sides, which cleans the dirty sides of a drain so that clogs have a more difficult time building up again.

Even though professional drain cleaning does a much better job of cleaning a drain, it is still possible that it will clog up again. Most will be reactive to slow drains or clogging, but if you wish to avoid that, you should have your drains cleaned once per year.If you have a bigger household, your drains will have to endure a lot more, not just from small amounts of grease from cooking, but soap and hair from showering as well. This means all your drains are at a higher chance of becoming clogged over time and you will need to be more diligent about cleaning them.

-A R Engh