Tired Of Drain Flies Giving You Drain Issues?
Seeing flies coming from your kitchen sink is not a pretty sight. It may leave your family feeling a bit sick.
You’re not the first person to experience this and the drain and sewer experts at Art Rooter, Sewer & Drain Cleaning know that it’s something you’ll want to get rid of right away.
Drain flies do not come from your drain but rather live in your drain, so you’ll need to treat what is attracting the drain flies as opposed to simply getting rid of the drain flies, to prevent them from coming back anytime soon.
What Are Drain Flies?
Drain flies are winged gnats. They appear moth-like and dark and are sometimes referred to as moth flies, filter flies or sewer flies. Covered in many hairs, they leave a white, powdery mark when crushed.
Drain flies thrive in the decomposing matter such as sewage. They pose no immediate danger to inhabitants but carry bacteria and possibly other microorganisms that have negative health effects on your family.
Laying their eggs in organic matter, manure or raw sewage, they’re bound to transfer this from location to location. They are fast-breeding and will do exactly that if not dealt with.
How to Get Rid of Drain Flies?
Drain flies are usually attracted by stagnant water or temporarily dormant drain pipes. When your pipes are not receiving regular water flow, drain flies will make themselves at home. If you notice these flies upon returning home from vacation, continuing regular activities will generally get rid of them because your pipes are being used regularly again. If you haven’t been away and these flies are present, you may have a plumbing problem.
Drain flies are known to be confused with other flies such as fruit flies, horrid flies, and fungus gnats. This is important because it will determine how you deal with the infestation.
Drain flies will breed in various areas within and around your home. You will need to identify their breeding ground from the outset in order to properly remove them from your home:
- Drain flies predominantly breed in drains. This should be the first place you check. By placing a piece of tape across your drain, you will be able to catch any flies leaving the drain. If they get stuck to the tape then you’re dealing with drain flies.
- Drain flies can breed from under the slabs of your floor due to a broken drain pipe. They enter through the crack and exit through the drain. Using masking tape over these cracks will help you determine if you have drain flies breeding under your slabs.
- Bathroom drains are a prime breeding ground too, especially in showers. Because shower pans often leak, drain flies are attracted to the moisture.
- Furniture in your kitchen that has cracks and crevices will attract the breeding of drain flies.
- These flies can sometimes come from outside due to a nearby water source. Shady areas like under potted plants, under air conditioners, and in bird feeders and birdbaths will attract drain flies because the area is moist. Inspect these areas regularly.
Steps To Remove Drain Flies From Your Home
After identifying that the flies are in fact drain flies, there are a few steps you can take before calling in a professional:
- Initially, if you suspect that you have been graced by drain flies, we suggest flushing your pipes and drains with hot water, not boiling water. This will loosen any sludge they’re living in as well as the larvae (eggs). We do not recommend throwing any harmful chemicals down your drain to try and dislodge the flies and their larvae. This may damage your sewerage system and cause you more headaches.
- There are different ways to clean your drains. You can then make use of a gel drain cleaner. When pouring the drain cleaner, ensure that you pour it so that it coats all sides of the drain.
- After a few days, flush the drain with water again.
- If you still see flies coming from your drains, repeat this process. If the sludge inside your drain does not clear you will need to call in professional drain cleaning. Failing to clear this entirely will only encourage the flies to return or continue breeding.
In order to prevent your home from being affected by drain flies in the future, make sure you do regular cleaning in areas where drain flies are known to breed. Their larva needs moisture in order to grow. Larvae are small and very hard to see.
If you suspect that there is a vulnerable area in your home that you are not able to get to, get in contact with a drain cleaning professional like Art Rooter, Sewer & Drain Cleaning , our services include all things drain related and we are able to eradicate any possible infestations before they affect your home.
