Drain Flies

Drain flies are only about 1/16th of an inch, gray to black and fuzzy. Close up, they look more like moths than flies.  While often mistaken for fruit flies or gnats, they are their own distinct species. 

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Drain flies are extremely difficult to control once a population takes hold. They breed inside the pipes where organic sludge tends to form and larvae are resistant to direct application of hot water or chemicals. While the adults are easily killed, life cycles are hard to break due to the necessity of physically removing the breeding sources. Deep cleaning is required, consistently, for almost a month to eradicate the infestation.

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It could be that you just need to clean your drains, especially those that go unused for longer periods of time or have more organic waste that might be building up inside. However, if you find yourself inundated with drain flies, you might want to take the time to check your pipes and plumbing to rule out larger and more costly issues as drain flies might be an indication of a problem.

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For even more information on drain flies, check out our blog post