Many homeowners benefit from scheduling professional drain cleaning at least once a year. Drain cleaning service keeps plumbing drains fresh-smelling and moving efficiently, helping prevent blockages and backups and supporting the longevity of your plumbing system. In the North Metro region of Minnesota, these services also play a valuable role in reducing the risk of tree root intrusion, supporting aging sewer lines, and managing other regional plumbing concerns.

Keep Your Living Space Healthy and Safe

For North Metro locals, all the standard benefits of routine drain cleaning apply. These services help break down and flush out trapped organic waste, including:

  • Hair
  • Mucus
  • Grease
  • Body oils
  • Decaying food

They open pipe interiors and give wastewater more room to move through, which helps prevent common issues such as slow drains and recurring clogs.

Maintain Comfortable Indoor Conditions

Clogged or slow-moving drains can contribute to lingering moisture and unpleasant odors around sinks, tubs, and showers. Although drains aren’t a primary source of household humidity, stagnant water near fixtures can make spaces feel damp and create conditions where mold and mildew thrive. Keeping drains clear supports a cleaner, fresher indoor environment.

Get Rid of Stubborn Biofilms

Professional drain cleaning also helps disrupt harmful biofilms—collections of algae, mold, bacteria, and other microorganisms that protect themselves within a resilient matrix. In some cases, organisms within biofilms can be up to 1,000 times more resistant to common household cleaning agents.

Hydro-jetting and other professional cleaning methods break down these films far more effectively than DIY cleaners. This reduces odors and helps maintain a more sanitary home.

Reduce the Risk of Food Contamination and Skin Irritation

Standing water created by slow drains can expose skin to bacteria or leave unsanitary residues inside sinks and tubs. In kitchen sinks, slow drainage can allow organic buildup to cling to sink surfaces, increasing the chance of contamination if food or utensils come into contact with it. Clean, fast-moving drains help minimize these risks and support hygienic plumbing fixtures.

Protect Your Sewer Pipe

Throughout your home, drain cleaning supports proper wastewater flow into the main sewer line. When wastewater moves slowly due to buildup in indoor drains, more soap scum, grease, and slime can accumulate along sewer pipe walls. Over time, this can restrict flow and contribute to backups.

Routine drain cleaning, along with scheduled sewer line inspections and periodic sewer cleaning, helps reduce these buildups and supports the overall health of your sewer system.

Special Concerns for North Metro Residents

Dirty or slow-moving drains can make existing plumbing vulnerabilities more noticeable in the North Metro region due to environmental factors such as aggressive local tree species, aging sewer infrastructure, freezing winters, and dense clay soils.

Aging Infrastructure

Many older homes in the area, especially those built before the 1970s, still rely on terracotta sewer pipes. Also known as vitrified clay pipes, these systems are more prone to cracks and leaks from age, soil movement, and root pressure. Although drain cleaning cannot prevent aging-related wear, keeping wastewater flowing smoothly helps reduce added strain on these older systems.

Tree Species With Aggressive Roots

Local tree species with far-reaching root systems make sewer line maintenance especially important. These include:

  • Birch trees
  • Aspen trees
  • Willow trees
  • Maple trees

These trees can send roots significant distances in search of moisture. If sewer pipes already have small cracks or leaks, moisture and sewer gases escaping from the pipe can attract roots. Keeping drains and sewer lines clear helps wastewater move properly and reduces conditions that worsen small leaks or blockages.

Clay Soil

Much of the North Metro region has heavy clay soil that slows root penetration. As a result, roots tend to follow easier pathways—often toward underground utilities and sewer lines if those pipes already have weak points. Clean, freely flowing drains support overall sewer performance and reduce stress on aging or vulnerable sections.

Cold Winter Temperatures and Freezing Pipes

North Metro winters regularly plunge below zero. While pipe freezing is typically a supply-line issue rather than a drain-line one, slow-moving wastewater can leave more residue in certain areas of the plumbing system. Professional drain cleaning removes heavy buildups and helps ensure that wastewater doesn’t sit where it shouldn’t during the coldest months.

Hard Water

Many neighborhoods in the region experience hard water containing minerals like magnesium and calcium. Although most mineral deposits form in water heaters and supply lines, minor sediment can still collect inside drains along with grease, food waste, and soap residues. Drain cleaning helps clear this mixture of buildup, supporting smoother flow and better overall pipe performance.

Drain Gnat Infestations

During late summer and early fall, drain gnats can become a nuisance for North Metro residents. These pests breed in moist organic debris inside drains and P-traps. Routine drain cleaning helps remove the buildup they rely on, discouraging infestations and restoring fresh-smelling fixtures.

Drain Cleaning Is an Excellent Corrective Measure

Routine drain cleaning is an important part of plumbing maintenance in the North Metro area. It helps prevent blockages and backups and can also correct issues such as foul odors, slow drainage, or recurring clogs. Many households benefit from annual service, but homes with heavy water usage, multiple fixtures, or a history of backups may require more frequent cleaning.

If you notice unpleasant smells, stained fixtures, or sluggish drains, professional drain cleaning is more effective and longer-lasting than DIY methods.

Schedule Drain Cleaning Today!

Benjamin Franklin Plumbing® offers several effective drain cleaning solutions, as well as professional sewer line inspection and cleaning services. We understand the plumbing challenges unique to the North Metro area and have the tools and training to help mitigate them. To keep your drains clean, fresh-smelling, and flowing smoothly, contact Benjamin Franklin Plumbing® today!