DIY vs Professional Rooter Services: What You Should Know

We talk a lot about rooter maintenance. We know there are various reasons why it is so important to regularly keep up with maintaining your sewer lines in order to avoid possible plumbing catastrophes and expensive repairs. Keeping up-to-date on plumbing maintenance prevents things like heavy metals from entering the water or large problems from festering that will cost a lot of money. But there are two methods when it comes to plumbing system and rooter services: DIY and professional plumbing services.

Both of these paths are useful, but should you choose one over the other? Why hire a professional plumber when you can implement techniques to take care of your drain system yourself? Or, why bother worrying over your sewer lines when you have a professional plumber regularly check up on them to make sure everything is running smoothly? In this article, we will go over the benefits of both of these rooter service options and why it is best to use them together to tackle different levels of rooter services rather than choose one over the other.

DIY Rooter Plumbing System Maintenance

DIY methods for rooter service can be incredibly valuable. Performing regular drain cleaning and rooter service checkups yourself can significantly reduce the likelihood of plumbing system disasters and health dangers. The various routines you can perform on your own to keep your drains in good health include:

• Visually checking your pipes and fixtures for leaks or damage.
• Running the water through all your drains in order to flush them out.
• Putting metal grates over kitchen and shower drains in order to catch food particles and hair from going down the drain and creating a blockage.
• Run the water with the garbage disposal after doing the dishes to break down large chunks of food and run them smoothly through the drain.
• Keep large food particles, hair, grease, and paper products (excluding toilet paper) out of the system to prevent damage and clogged drains.
• Use a baking soda and vinegar solution along with boiling water when cleaning your drains, rather than store-bought drain cleaners, whose chemicals can cause damage in large and regular amounts.

These are all simple steps homeowners can regularly take to service their sewer line and ensure that no plumbing issues, such as clogged drains, are regularly occurring. Taking careful measures to prevent clogs in the line and regularly cleaning out your system can significantly aid in preventing large blockages that can create a clogged drain and cause damage to the pipes and system, or even sewage backup that can damage your health and house.

Rooter Service from a Professional Plumber

While DIY home maintenance can assist with the everyday operation of your plumbing system, professional rooter services from a certified plumber can get an inside look at your system to make sure there are no hidden problems that can grow into large repairs. Professional rooter services can include:

• Camera video inspection that can look inside the entire drain and discover the exact location and magnitude of any possible clog or even structural issues.
• Rooter machines that can cut away any root cloggage within your pipes as well as scrape away debris from the sides of the pipe.
• Hydro jetting, which uses a strong blast of water to not only break apart and clear clogs but also wash away built-up debris around the sides of the pipe, like soap scum and grease, ensuring that another clog does not occur for a long time.
• Sewer repair and/or replacement, which is for more extreme cases when something like root invasion has caused damage to the pipes that now need to be repaired, re-lined, or replaced entirely by the plumber.

The difference between hiring a licensed plumber for professional plumbing services and DIY plumbing is that professional services are able to identify and fix any underlying issues and are able to be more hands-on with the actual system. Plumbers are able to see within the system if there are any problems, eliminating any guesswork so that you can be certain that everything is operating correctly.

DIY or Professionals for Rooter Service?

So, which is the best option for a plumbing job? While both of these plumbing options have their benefits, it is highly recommended for homeowners to always implement a combination of both DIY and professional rooter services. Many plumbing problems can be avoided entirely through regular, helpful steps performed on your own, but you also need the professional plumbing tools and expertise that plumbers can offer in order to fully guarantee that your system does not have any interior problems.

Expertise and Equipment

The biggest aspect to remember is the in-depth rooter service, repair, and replacement that can be needed. While using metal grates and natural drain cleaner solutions is important in helping to minimize debris buildup, full drain cleaning and rooter services with tools such as hydrojetters or flex-shaft machines are able to offer a much more thorough and long-lasting cleaning. Since this specialized equipment within rooter services deals directly with the drain, it is vital to have a lot of knowledge about how to work with the pipe and sewer system, or else you could end up causing damage.

Damage Risks

There can be things like contamination and electrical hazards that are a danger if you are trying to take on a large DIY plumbing project. If you are not familiar with the equipment or have not had the proper training, what could happen is that you might end up creating an even bigger plumbing issue that will require more expensive repairs. Even tools such as drain snakes can cause a lot of damage to the line if used improperly. In rooter services, the power augers on any large piece of equipment, such as those used for hydro jetting, can be very dangerous to your personal safety and the well-being of your plumbing system. This is why plumbers have specific training in these kinds of tools.

Repair/Replacement Needs

Another concern is that if you do have a clog from tree roots in your pipes, this usually means you have holes in your pipes that professionals will have to fix. Attempting to go about plumbing repairs on your own can also be risky, since things like sewer lines can be very dangerous if handled incorrectly. A DIY project on relining damaged pipes, for example, without the appropriate tools or knowledge can lead to broken pipes and even more sewer repair, perhaps even a plumbing emergency. There is even the danger of damaging someone else’s property or the main sewer lines. Therefore, any issues regarding tree roots should be handled by a professional plumbing company and a trained plumber.

Any DIY project should be reserved for taking care of smaller tasks or essentially clearing the way for heavier drain cleaning. That way, there will be a lower chance of the plumber finding anything problematic, and when they implement their professional cleaning techniques, there will be less of a chance of them discovering damage or extremely difficult clogs. There are more and more ways that make it easier to work on plumbing issues yourself, such as smart devices that are able to shut off your water supply for you when they detect leaks, but always be sure to contact professional plumbers if there is any plumbing issue you are not comfortable handling or that you do not have adequate knowledge of, so that you do not end up doing more damage to the sewer line, and the cost could be extreme.

Clogged Drain? Call a Professional Plumber

Both DIY and professional rooter services are vital for the health of your sewer system. Daily practices like keeping harmful debris out of your drains and doing basic upkeep every few weeks can drastically increase the operation of your system. However, for larger projects, you should most likely be hiring professionals to tackle the job in order to ensure you are getting the best treatment possible for your system and that nothing will be damaged. It will also be more cost-effective in the end since trained plumbers will have the expertise to get the rooter problem taken care of right away. Plumbers will have the right tools and expertise for the job, and they could save you from costly mistakes and further damage to your system if there is a fix that needs to be done. By leaving the larger projects to a professional plumber, you will save money in the long run on future plumbing issues.