How to Get Rid of Drain Flies
One of the downsides of Seattle summers are those dreaded drain flies – the tiny little winged nuisances that seem to multiply around your sinks and drains as soon as the weather warms up and gets humid.
Drain flies (sometimes called sewer flies or moth flies) can’t resist moist, decaying buildup as the perfect place to lay eggs and breed like crazy. No wonder they love drains coated in hair, soap scum, and other gunk!
While drain flies are more disgusting than dangerous, having them buzzing around isn’t exactly pleasant and it could also signal bigger plumbing problems creating the moist conditions they thrive in – think clogs, leaks, or areas of standing water.
But before surrendering your drains completely to the drain fly invasion forces, take a breath. A few simple preventative measures can help take back control quickly. With some basic maintenance, you can boot those freeloading flies from your drains for good this summer.
What Are Drain Flies? Appearance and Characteristics
If you’ve seen those tiny dark flies buzzing around your drains, you’ve met the drain fly up close and personal. These little guys are small, fuzzy, and moth-like in appearance with wings and bulging eyes.
These pests thrive in damp, humid environments, feeding on the organic matter and buildup found in drains, septic tanks, sewers – anywhere moisture and gunk accumulates. Your drains basically become an all-you-can-eat buffet for them to multiply.
It’s no surprise drain flies are such a common nuisance in Seattle area homes. Our perpetually damp, rainy climate creates the perfect moist conditions these flies crave. Excess humidity and moisture buildup in drains from frequent showers and dishwashing provide an open invitation for infestations to take over.
Between their unsightly appearance always buzzing around and the plumbing issues their presence can indicate, drain flies quickly go from an annoyance to a serious problem. But some simple preventative measures can help keep these pests out for good.
Signs of a Drain Fly Infestation
The most obvious sign you’ve got a drain fly situation on your hands? Spotting those tiny little winged suckers buzzing around your sinks, showers, bathtubs, and other drains. If you’re seeing just one or two flies, no biggie. But if they seem to be multiplying, that’s often an indication that an infestation is taking over.
Another telltale sign is when the flies cluster up near damp areas prone to moisture buildup, such as around drains in bathrooms, kitchens, basements, or anywhere excess humidity and standing water might be an issue. Those are like a big neon “Vacancy” sign to drain flies looking to rent out your drains as their new home.
Speaking of damp drains, another key indicator is any sinks or tubs draining sluggishly with lots of gross, slimy buildup visible. If your drains are struggling with slow drainage and you spot those flies nearby, you’ve likely got an infestation brewing that needs to be handled ASAP.
The bottom line? If you’re seeing drain flies multiplying around your home’s damp areas and drains, especially any with visible buildup, it’s time to take action before that infestation gets totally out of control. A few simple steps can help evict those squatters and keep them from coming back.
DIY Methods to Get Rid of Drain Flies
So you’ve identified some definite drain fly activity happening in your home. Time to take the battle to those freeloading pests!
Identify All Infested Drains
Before launching your full-scale attack, do some recon first. Run water in each sink, shower, and tub drain for a minute and keep an eye out for any flies emerging – that’ll help pinpoint their main breeding grounds to target.
Boiling Water Treatment
Once you’ve located the infested drains, start bringing out the big guns. A simple boiling water treatment can be super effective for killing off drain fly eggs and larvae. Just carefully pour a kettle or two of boiling water straight down the offending drain.
The extreme heat basically gives those flies a lethal sauna treatment. Repeat this a few times over a couple days for best results as those stubborn flies can be hard to fully exterminate.
Baking Soda and Vinegar Flush
Another DIY trick is the good old baking soda and vinegar volcano method. Pour 1/2 cup baking soda down the drain, then chase it with 1 cup vinegar and let it bubble up like a mini science experiment.
That chemical reaction helps cut through and break down the gross organic gunk that drain flies absolutely love to snack and breed on. Let the bubbly mixture sit for 10-15 minutes so it can really go to town, before flushing everything down with some scorching hot water to take out any stragglers.
Drain Cleaning Gel
You can also pick up some enzyme-based drain cleaning gel from the hardware store or online. These eco-friendly formulas use natural enzymes to dissolve hair, soap scum, food waste, and more without harsh chemicals that could damage pipes.
The gels are super easy to use – just squirt some down the drain and let it go to work eating away at the buildup overnight before flushing it all down in the morning.
Use a Drain Brush for Thorough Cleaning
For a really deep, thorough cleaning to evict those flies for good, invest in a flexible drain brush. This long, coarse-bristled brush lets you really get in there and scrub away any sludgy biofilm buildup coating the inside of your pipes where those pesky flies are likely breeding and multiplying.
Don’t just treat the surface – give their whole breeding ground a good scrubbing! Combine that elbow grease with any of the other methods above for maximum drain fly eviction power.
And if your drains have removable traps or pipes, go ahead and take those apart to inspect for any blockages or standing water that flies may be calling home. A quick disassembly lets you clean out every nook and cranny. Just be sure to have a bucket ready to catch any nasty water backups!
With some diligence using these simple DIY methods, you can send those drain flies packing and make your home an inhospitable environment. But if the infestation keeps coming back, it may be time to call in professional reinforcements…
Preventive Tips to Keep Drain Flies Away
The good news is, with some simple preventative measures, you can make your home inhospitable for drain flies and keep them from coming back.
Regular Drain Maintenance
Weekly drain maintenance should become a habit. Even if you don’t see flies, flushing all your drains with boiling water or doing a baking soda/vinegar treatment helps stop buildup before it starts. Think of it like changing your air filters – just some basic upkeep to keep things flowing smoothly.
Fix Leaks and Reduce Moisture
Look out for leaks and other sources of moisture around your home. Drain flies love damp environments, so make sure there aren’t any leaky pipes, faucets, or areas prone to humidity buildup creating excess moisture.
This is especially important for Seattle homeowners dealing with our perpetually soggy climate. Get any leak issues repaired ASAP to eliminate potential breeding grounds.
Keep Drains Covered
While you’re at it, pick up some drain covers or screens to pop over any sink, shower, or tub drains. These inexpensive little grates create a physical barrier to keep adult flies from sneaking in and laying eggs. Out of sight, out of mind!
Use a Dehumidifier in Damp Areas
For real problem areas like damp basements, consider running a dehumidifier to suck excess moisture out of the air to make it less hospitable for drain fly infestations to take root.
Clean Garbage Disposal and Kitchen Sinks Regularly
And don’t neglect cleaning out gunky kitchen sinks and garbage disposals! All that food waste buildup basically rolls out the welcome mat for flies looking for a new home. Run plenty of hot water after each use and deodorize disposals regularly to keep things fresh.
When to Call a Professional
If you can’t seem to get rid of a persistent drain fly infestation no matter what you do, it might be time to call in professional reinforcements.
A stubborn drain fly problem is gross, but it could also indicate that there is a bigger plumbing issue happening behind the scenes, like cracked or broken pipes, leaks, or even sewer line backups. If you’re dealing with frequent infestations no matter how much you clean, that’s a red flag that there could be a more serious problem creating those perfect moist, yucky environments for these flies to thrive. This may need an expert’s diagnosis.
Even with the most diligent cleaning efforts, there are just some areas deep within your home’s plumbing system that are hard for a homeowner to fully access and treat. Professional drain cleaning services have specialized tools like hydro-jetters and augers that can reach way further down pipes and sewer lines than you can on your own. They’ll blast through every last bit of caked-on gunk providing a breeding haven for those flies.
Drain Flies Driving You Crazy? Let the Pros Take Over
If you keep on scrubbing and pouring boiling water, but the drain flies just keep coming back and swarming around your drains, it’s time to quit messing around and call in the big guns.
The experts at Fox Plumbing and Heating can handle even the most stubborn drain flies with our powerful equipment that can blast through every last bit of gunk and reach way further into pipes than you ever could on your own. No more perfect breeding grounds for those pests!
Instead of fighting a losing battle against the drain fly invasion, save yourself the headache. Dial (206) 654-4986 to schedule Fox’s A-team to do a serious deep cleaning of your drains. With our skills, those flies won’t know what hit them. You’ll finally have your drains back in tip-top, critter-free shape!