It’s always a good idea to check if your home plumbing is working at an optimum level. This way, you can identify even minor plumbing problems and get them fixed before they turn into something more serious. However, if other members of your household carelessly throw away various stuff down your drainage system, it’s only a matter of time before this becomes blocked.
When you think about it, a clogged drain is actually easy to identify. Slow-moving drain water, a foul smell, and gurgling sounds are the common indications. When you notice these things with your drains, it’s time to take immediate action by asking the help of a professional plumber.
Causes of a Clogged Drain
When your drains are blocked, it’s more than just an inconvenience. Clogs are serious problems because they can lead to corroded pipes, home flooding, and even water damage if you allow the issue to go unaddressed.
The things that you push down the drain are the reasons this ends up clogged. Listed below are the common culprits.
1. Hair Strands
Shedding hair is a natural occurrence. Simply scratching your head can make one’s hair to fall. In the bathroom while taking a bath, hair strands will fall without you noticing it.
Falling hair is among the most common causes of a clogged drain. When you take a shower, hair strands can accumulate in your drains, eventually finding their way to your plumbing pipes. At this juncture, they can get entangled with other items like grease and food debris. Over time, the weird mix will turn into a major blockage, large enough to stop water from flowing through the pipes.
2. Dirt
Coming home with your clothes filled with dirt and dust can also become a source of a clogged drain. If you wash them right away, all those debris can mix with water and go straight to your drains.
Shoes that you bring inside the bathroom when you come home from work can also leave behind dirt, dust, and even mud. These can be washed away by toilet water and end up in your drainage where they can accumulate. Over time, the buildup can become a clog.
3. Food Particles
If there’s no dishwasher at home, washing the dishes is done manually on the kitchen sink. In doing so, you’ll likely rinse off those leftover food and push them down the drain. Down the pipes, these debris will accumulate and should soon cause a clog. This is especially true for used cooking oil and foods that don’t breakup easily.
4. Soap Suds
These are surprising sources of clogs, but some soap products actually contain a certain amount of grease or fat. Combined with the minerals found in water, soap can produce a residue that can lead to drain blockage. A simple solution to this is to use plumbing-safe soap. Alternatively, you can have the drainage system cleaned regularly.
5. Toilet Paper
In many public restrooms, there are signs advising you that toilet paper should be thrown away in the trash can and not in the toilet bowl or the sink. This is something that you should practice at home.
Although it tends to vary, there is such a thing as toilet paper buildup. When this happens to your toilet, you will have problems in terms of flushing. A plunger can be used to fix the clog, but this may not work every time. If water starts pooling in your toilet, the services of a plumber for clogged drains is what you need.
6. Small Objects
Ideally, human waste and water are the only things that should reach your plumbing pipes, but accidents are inevitable. Small items like toys or valuables like rings can get flushed down the drain. If this happens several times, it’s no longer an accident and the worst thing about it is that you could end up having a blocked drain. In any case, if the flushed item happens to have sentimental value, it can still be retrieved for you by experts when you get a clogged drain service.
7. Tree Roots
These are known for obstructing water flow in your plumbing. Since tree roots are living things, they will continue to grow and can cause major plumbing damage if they reach the pipes.
How To Fix a Clogged Drain
When your drains are clogged, fixing them is actually easy. partly because there are several home remedy options available. One of the most common of these is the plunger, which most homeowners are familiar with. It’s an ancient clog removal tool that remains effective even in this modern world.
Another common home remedy for clogged drains is preparing a mixture of vinegar, baking soda, and hot water. The solution is known to work when used on bathroom sinks, but is ineffective when the clog is on the kitchen drains. Additionally, this option is suitable if you only have a partial drain blockage. For drainage systems that are completely clogged and have standing water, it’s best if you call an expert plumber.
Key Takeaway
Having a clogged drain is an avoidable situation when you are aware of the things that you should not allow to go down the toilet drain and the kitchen sink. Nevertheless, practicing caution is not always that easy. If you do end up facing a problematic drain, the first thing you should do is determine the cause and see if it’s something that you can fix using a home remedy solution.
Otherwise, you can always refer the issue to a professional plumbing company. This is especially crucial if you believe that the clog is located deep down your plumbing system which only specialists can remove effectively.
Clear a clogged drain with the expert help of A Better Plumber.
Drain cleaning should be made part of your home plumbing maintenance routine. This will keep you from dealing with unwanted clogs. A Better Plumber can provide this important service to you at an affordable rate.
We have a top-notch drain cleaner in Colorado Springs, who is always ready to help if you have difficulties handling a clogged drainage. We also offer a wide range of plumbing services that you should find interesting. Call us today and we’ll gladly discuss these with you.
