Why does my drain get clogged

The cause of clogged drains

So long as there are pipes and drains in homes and buildings, there will always be clogs. It is sometimes confusing and challenging for some people to believe that a drain they used the previous day or a while ago would no longer allow the easy flow of water.

Homeowners resort to different approaches to clear clogs in their plumbing system. In some cases, they never succeed in getting rid of the clog. You may use simple methods to rid a drain of a clog, but it is best to find out how and why the clog occurred in the first place.

Common types of drain clogs

Drains are designed to allow the easy and smooth flow of drain water. However, water is not the only thing that goes down these drains, which is why drain clogs occur.

There may not be a lot anyone can do to prevent this from happening because, from time to time, we need to send water and some other materials down these drains. You can take specific steps to reduce the chance of a clog in your drain.

Kitchen sink drain clogs

Kitchen sinks are used a lot and, unfortunately, have to put up with a lot of abuse in the process. They handle food remnants, grease, paper products, and other things. Clogs can occasionally occur, especially if the sink’s diameter is smaller than that of an average drain pipe.

Bathroom sink drain clogs

Bathroom sinks also have to put up with a totally different class of mess. The human hair is well known for clinging to just about anything it comes in contact with, including inside sink drains. The length does not matter here because as long as enough hair is in the sink, you will easily have a drain clog.

Bathtub drain clogs

Bathroom tubs are not exempted from clogs caused by hair because they have to deal with a lot of it. Bathroom drains also experience clogs caused by different types of bar soaps. A small chunk of bar soap can last long in a drain, especially if it is allowed to build up.

A combination of hair and soap is unsuitable for bathroom drains and can easily clog up the drain. There are several reasons why anyone could have clogged drains, although these ones are the commonest anywhere. Other reasons include accidentally dropping foreign materials into the drain, such as contact lenses, cell phones, jewellery, etc.

There are cases where the clog may occur due to the shape, diameter, or length of the pipe. This is true for pipes with an increasing number of bends and turns, the risk of a clogged drain increases. You can take simple steps to prevent common causes of clogged drains. Some of the simple solutions include:

• Scraping leftover food items into a trash bin before you rinse plates.
• Have an effective drain strainer
• Ensure you turn on cold water before you put items into a garbage disposer. Leave the water running for some seconds after turning off your disposer. Avoid putting grease and hard-to-grind items such as bones, coffee, and celery into the disposer.
• Perform drain maintenance each month to prevent clogging and unpleasant odour.

Steps to fix a main sewer line clog

You can easily take care of some clogs with a plunger and a pair of gloves. However, others occur frequently. Recurring clogs are known to occur in many homes and are thought to be responsible for backing up main sewer lines.

Any of the following can be a cause of a clogged drain and can cause the sewer line to back:

• Broken, cracked, damaged, or sagging sewer pipes.
• A tree root penetrates right through the sewer line, preventing sewage from getting drained properly.
• Abuse of a toilet facility by flushing items like baby diapers and wipes, food, paper towel, Q-tips, napkins, medicine, or pills.
• Pouring fats, oils, or grease into the drain, these coagulate, causing clogs.

Follow basic drain etiquette

While certain items can get flushed down the drains in the kitchen or elsewhere, it goes without saying that others will not follow this pattern. Taking note of this is really important if you want to keep your drain from getting clogged. Some items are only fit for the trash can and should never be left in the sink for any length of time.

Unfortunately, some people choose not to follow this simple rule and end up having severe issues on their hands. The little extra effort of separating items meant for the trash can be all the difference that will save you from the unnecessary expense of calling a plumber to address plumbing issues in your home.

Water is expected to flow down the drain easily in your kitchen. Before a drain becomes clogged, it is most likely the flow of water would become impeded, in which case you will have a sign that tells of impending trouble with the drain. When such subtle signs are neglected, there is always the complicated situation of a clogged drain.

When general cleanliness is maintained in the bathroom sink, or anywhere there is a drain, there is a lesser chance of a clog occurring. However, when a blind eye is turned on any crucial detail. It can lead to the growth of a mass of different items that eventually form a clog in the drain.

Can toilet paper clog a sewer line?

Using your sink as a garbage disposal could cause issues with your sewerage system as waste will likely back up into your pipes. Some items the sink was designed to eliminate in your home can still clog up a toilet or sewage system. Excessive use of toilet paper can clog the pipes in the end.

You need to be mindful of the type of toilet paper you buy. The toilet paper you utilise should not only be comfortable but also dissolve quickly. A thick toilet paper would take too long to soften, leading to clogs in the main drain. This typically happens if the plumbing system in your home is old or has not been maintained for a long time.

Effects of leaving drain clogs for long

It is possible to clear minor clogs with household tools. Frequent clogging suggests that a significant clog is forming along your drain. Major clogs usually form over several months or years from accumulating hair, fats, soap residue, and other organic wastes.

You may have to use specialised tools before getting rid of such clogs. Where a significant clog is left unattended, minor clogs will occur persistently with greater frequency over time. Severe clogs indicate serious issues with tree roots extending into the sewer line.

If these tree roots are not taken care of immediately, they can wreck your pipes, resulting in clogs and, later on, massive wastewater leaks. Removing a tree root ball from your pipes would require pipe removal and re-installation using specialised tools. Contact a professional plumber right away in case you suspect that there is a significant clog anywhere in your drainage system.

How do I carry out sewer line cleaning?

You need to carry out drain cleaning activities regularly. This should form part of your maintenance culture for your drainage system to function properly.

Some homeowners do not care about their sewage system and would never be bothered about creating routine care until they experience a sewer line backup.

The way to avoid experiencing disastrous blockages is to be proactive and take preventive measures. You will incur some bills in the process, but this step prevents costly future replacements.

Ways to unclog the drain in your home

It is one thing to know the cause of clogged drains in your home and another thing entirely to know how to unclog the drain yourself. So, whether it is an accumulation of water during showers, a backed-up kitchen sink, a clogged toilet, or a bathtub, it would be of immense help if you could handle the situation yourself right away.

The following are some simple steps for unclogging your home’s drains before you resort to using a plumber.

Use your hands

Sometimes clogs are visible near the surface, and you can set to work immediately to remove them. Put on rubber gloves and carefully pull out the material clogging your drain. Use a wire coat hanger for better reach and leverage.

Use a drain snake

You can also make use of a drain snake or plumber’s snake for this purpose. This tool is retractable, flexible, and found at your local hardware store. It can go down the drain to dismantle or pull out the materials that have formed a clog. There are disposable versions that do not require any cranking. Ensure your drain snake is cleaned after use.

Use a plunger

Plungers are not meant for clogged toilets alone. They are designed to be used on kitchen sinks as well. If you would like the best suction, get a cup-style plunger. It will totally cover the drain opening forming a tight seal.

Do even up-and-down thrusts while maintaining the seal. Remove the plunger after this process and check to see if water can flow down the drain. If the drain remains clogged, repeat the process.

Use boiling water

If the clog blocking your drain is not visible and a drain snake has not produced any positive result, try hot water. Use your water heater to boil water and make sure it attains the right temperature.

Use a pot to boil water if you do not have a hot water heater. Boiling water can easily dissolve an accumulated build-up of soft materials like cooking grease or soap scum. Repeat this process three times to get desired results.

Find a plumber to unclog your drain

If, after trying a few things on your own and you did not get your clogged drain allowing water to flow freely again, the last resort, which probably is the best too, would be calling a professional plumber.

A licensed plumber would do the heavy lifting for you and fix the problem quickly at a reasonable cost. Professionals are fully trained to handle any plumbing issue thrown their way.