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When you return home from a nice day at Troy Historic Village, it’s nice to return to the comforts of your modern home. If you return to discover a clogged pipe caused by grease, you may feel overwhelmed. Fear not — the team at Hoover Electric, Plumbing, Heating, and Cooling is here to help with grease in pipes solutions that really work. Although grease can wreak havoc on your plumbing, our hydro jetting service provides a fast, effective solution for one of the most common causes of costly plumbing issues.
How Grease Damages Your Pipes
Whenever you rinse or dump substances like grease, oils, or fats down the sink, they solidify and stick to your pipe walls, building up over time. Eventually, this grease causes serious damage and potentially long-term effects that can result in costly repairs.
Signs of trouble
Here are some signs that grease is potentially damaging your pipes:
- Your drains are slower than normal
- You notice frequent backups or clogs
- Strong, persistent odors permeate your kitchen
- A sudden pest infestation in your home, most notably the kitchen
Long-term effects
These are some of the long-term effects of grease in your pipes if it goes ignored:
- A noticeable reduction in water pressure and/or water flow
- Increased pressure on your pipes
- Possible pipe damage including cracks, burst pipes, and leaks that may result in water damage
Traditional Drain Cleaning Methods: Why They Fall Short
Professional pipe cleaning is recommended if you have issues with your plumbing or drains. Hoover has many financing options available if you need help paying for unexpected plumbing repairs that you can’t address yourself. Here are some traditional methods for removing grease clogs from drains and why they often fall short of getting the job done.
- Chemical drain cleaners: Using store bought chemical drain cleaners increases the risk of corrosion, which eventually leads to more expensive pipe damage. These chemical-based cleaners also aren’t very effective on removing stubborn grease. Many of these products contain toxic chemicals that cause harm to the environment when they get into the local groundwater, soil, and waterways.
- Snaking or plunging: Many homeowners try to use a plumbing snake or plunger to remove stubborn clogs from drains. While this might work in the interim, these methods are only temporary fixes that won’t address the real issue, which is excessive grease buildup on your pipe walls.
Grease clogs are unique and unlike other clogs (i.e., hair, toilet paper, soap scum) because grease is extremely sticky and thick, making it more difficult to remove. It’s also highly resistant to most conventional cleaning methods, which is why we recommend cleaning clogged pipes with hydro jetting for the best, most effective long-term results.
What is Hydro Jetting?
Hydro jet drain cleaning, or hydro jetting, is the best way to remove stubborn grease, oil, and other substances in your plumbing system. This unique plumbing technology uses a hose fed through the clogged or blocked pipes. Next, a high-pressure water jet quickly and thoroughly removes grease and other items in your pipes so water flows freely again.
Hydro jetting breaks down stubborn grease and oil, flushes debris, and restores your pipes to their original condition. One of the best reasons to choose hydro jetting is because it’s fast and damage-free. This safe, non-invasive process works well on both residential and commercial plumbing systems because it can tackle any issue large or small and works on any type of plumbing.
Benefits of Hydro Jetting for Grease Clogs
Here are some of the incredible benefits of choosing hydro jetting as your next service for pipe cleaning from grease buildup.
- Completely removes buildup: Hydro jetting effectively and completely clears common obstructions like grease and other debris from your pipes to remove and prevent clogs.
- Improves water flow: This pipe cleaning method restores your pipes to their full capacity for smooth water flow and drainage.
- Eco-friendly solution: No chemicals are used during hydro jetting, just simple water that is “injected” into your pipes under high pressure.
- Prevents future clogs: Using this method leaves your pipes clean and reduces the likelihood of future clogs and other plumbing issues.
- Cost-effective: Hydro jetting helps you avoid repeated plumbing visits and costly pipe damage that will cost you more money in the long run.
Signs You Might Need Hydro Jetting
Hydro jetting is amazing at removing stubborn grease, but it’s also effective at removing other clogs, too. Here are some signs that you may need to contact Hoover Plumbing and schedule our hydro jetting service.
- Slow drains in the kitchen is a key indicator that you have grease buildup in your pipes
- If you’re dealing with persistent issues like recurring clogs despite attempts to clear it, you may need hydro jetting.
- Grease and food particles stuck in your drain and plumbing create unpleasant smells, resulting in foul odors coming from your drains.
- Sewage backups are a serious, much more severe sign that you have obstructed pipes that need professional attention as soon as possible.
Preventing Grease Buildup in the Future
Luckily, there are things you can do to be proactive and prevent grease buildup in the future. Keep these tips in mind to ensure that your plumbing and drains remain clog-free.
- Avoid pouring grease and cooking oil down the drain. Instead, dispose of these items properly by letting them cool and pouring them into a sealed container before throwing them away.
- Use drain screens over your kitchen drain to help prevent food particles from entering your drain.
- Schedule regular maintenance of your plumbing including period hydro jetting to keep your pipes in top condition.
- Flush your drains with hot water and a bit of dish soap every so often. This simple habit can reduce the accumulation of oils and grease.
Why Choose Hydro Jetting Over Other Methods?
Hoover provides free estimates for all of our services. Here’s why hydro jetting is a better choice over other more traditional drain cleaning methods.
- Thorough cleaning: Hydro jetting provides an extremely thorough cleaning that removes buildup traditional methods can’t.
- Safe for pipes: This service won’t damage your plumbing as long as it’s performed by the professional plumbers at Hoover Plumbing.
- Saves time and money: Not only is hydro jetting a quick process, but it’s also highly efficient and eliminates the need for future repairs, saving you a lot of money over time.
- Suitable for all types of plumbing: From residential and commercial plumbing to older pipe systems, hydro jetting is safe and suitable for all types of plumbing.
Call the Hoover Team Today
Don’t let grease buildup ruin the plumbing in your Troy, Michigan area home. At Hoover Electric, Plumbing, Heating, and Cooling, our courteous and professional plumbers are available to help address all of your plumbing needs. Whether it’s grease buildup, a broken toilet, or another plumbing issue, Hoover has completed over 75,000 jobs since our founding in 1980. If you’d like to learn more about our hydro jetting service or want to schedule an appointment, contact us today!