Preventing Bathroom Drain Clogs

August 30th, 2014 Posted in Clearing Clogged Pipes
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Bathroom drains seem to be the most prone to clogs, from the toilet to the shower. Bathrooms are one of the most used rooms in any house, which means that plumbing fixtures get their fair share of use, too. While some clogged drains cannot be prevented, there are ways to reduce the chance of encountering a clogged drain in your bathroom.

Bathroom Sink

From sticky toothpaste and shaving cream to the leftover hair trimmings after a shave, the bathroom sink is often the most common victim when it comes to a bathroom drain clog. Having a drain cover which can catch any longer hairs and debris is one way to reduce the amount of clogs. Since even stubble is still hair, it can gum up your drains. Try shaving over a container and throwing away this hair instead of washing it down the drain every day.

Toilets

A clogged toilet is something that no one wants to deal with, especially if it overflows. While some clogs cannot be prevented, there are items that do not need to be flushed. Excess toilet paper and feminine hygiene items can clog up a toilet on their own, or make an existing situation worse. Try throwing away any items which do not need to be flushed, or flushing twice for larger tasks.

Shower

The main culprit behind clogs in the shower or bathtub drain is hair. Each person loses about 100 hairs a day, many of them in the shower. Hair combined with oils, grease, soap and other products can easily clog up drains. The best way to prevent these common clogs is to use a properly fitted drain cover to catch the hair, then physically remove it after each use.

Even with prevention methods, bathroom clogs can and will occur. When you have a tough clog, call your local plumber to get it completely removed by a professional.

Posted on behalf of Seagraves Plumbing Septic and Sewer

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Drain Clog: When to Call a Plumber?

August 12th, 2013 Posted in Drains, Uncategorized
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Nothing can be more frustrating than a clogged drain, whether it’s in the kitchen sink or bathroom toilet. Of course, this always happens at the most inconvenient time. How do you know when your clog requires the expertise of a plumber? If only a single fixture is clogged and the rest of your drains seem to be draining well, then the clog is close to the clogged fixture and you may be able to unclog it yourself.   Avoid caustic drain cleaners – these can damage your pipes, cause chemical burns, and if the clog does not respond, you will be left with a sink or toilet full of caustic chemicals.   Some clogs will quickly loosen with the use of a plunger or a household drain snake. If all of your efforts fail to unstop the clog, call a plumber.

If more than one fixture in your home is clogged, you may be experiencing a main sewer line clog. The main sewer line is the line through which all of your plumbing exits your home, either to the city’s municipal sewer system or your private septic system. If you are seeing dirty water backing up from more than one fixture at the same time, this is a clear indication of a main line clog. For instance, when the water drains out of your washing machine, it may back up into a sink or toilet. In the lowest level of your home, a floor drain may back up when an interior toilet is flushed.

If these types of “system-wide” backups are occurring, you should call a reputable local plumber to have the problem repaired.  Your plumber will be equipped with commercial grade sewer snakes, high pressure hydro-jetting equipment, and other professional drain cleaning equipment.  They can clear the clog without damaging your system and may also be able to advise you on how to prevent future problems.

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Using a Plumber’s Auger to Clear Clogged Drains

January 16th, 2013 Posted in Clearing Clogged Pipes
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When a plunger isn’t accomplishing the job of clearing a clogged drain, using a plumber’s auger or plumber’s snake may be needed to remove the clog. Although a homeowner could purchase this tool and attempt to use it himself, it is recommended that you leave the use of this tool to the professionals who understand when and how to use it. There are different types of plumber’s augers. Using the wrong type of auger on the drain that is plugged could cause more problems than they solve.

The auger that most people are familiar with is a long wire that has spiraled end. These augers are sent down the drain until they reach the clog. The auger is rotated as it progresses down the drainpipe. When the auger reaches the clog it can clear the clog in one of two ways.

If the clog is created by an object, such as a toy or washcloth, the auger may connect itself to the object and be able to pull the object out of the drain. If the clog is created by hair or grease, the auger may simply drill through the clog and then break up the clog into debris that can be flushed out of the pipe. This type of auger works well for sink or bathtub drains but should not be used for a clogged toilet. This type of auger could cause damage to the porcelain bowl and could also get tangled in the larger drainpipe beneath the toilet.

There is a special auger that plumbers use for unclogging toilets. These are often referred to as closet augers, since they are used on water closets or toilets. Clogged toilets that can’t be cleared with a plunger should always be referred to a professional plumber.

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A Gritty Problem: Sand Clogged Drains

January 14th, 2013 Posted in Clearing Clogged Pipes
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Clogged tub, sink and shower drains are common events, and there are numerous remedies to rectify a clogged drain. Plungers, augers and various drain-cleaning products are available, one of which is likely to clear most clogged drains. Small objects and organic materials are the usual suspects in such backups, but when the trouble is caused by a buildup of sand the solution may be more difficult to achieve.

For one thing, unless you know exactly how the sand got into the drain in the first place, you may be dealing with a situation that is way beyond your control. If you’ve just cleaned out the fish tank in the kitchen sink or the kids have dumped buckets full of beach sand into the tub, it’s one thing, and you can try a few experiments before calling your plumber. Here are a few DIY tips that may be worth a go.

  • Wet-Vac – You might get better results from pulling rather than pushing. If the sand is near the top end of the drain system you may get it back out by vacuuming.
  • Bladder – A bladder is designed to increase the water pressure into the drain, which can break up a sand clog, dispersing the sand so that a regular flow can flush the system clean.
  • Garden Hose Reducer – As with a bladder, a hose reducer will increase the water pressure and may wash the sand away.

If you can’t identify where the sand came from or your initial efforts are unsuccessful, it is time to call in a licensed plumber. The problem could be a broken water line, necessitating major work. Your plumber may even have to “scope” the line with a miniature camera to identify the problem. But, that’s what your professional serviceman is there for, so don’t hesitate to call for help.

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Common Causes for Clogged Drains

October 16th, 2012 Posted in Clearing Clogged Pipes
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Clogged drains are a common issue for plumbers who get calls from residential customers.  This problem can be prevented and costly repairs avoided if homeowners know what should never be put down their drains.  While hair is the most easily recognized culprit, other things are the most common causes of clogged drains.

Grease is the worst culprit of drain clogs because it becomes solidified once it cools, effectively blocking the drain.  Even liquid grease such as vegetable oil can cause issues, but solids are the biggest problem.  Grease should be stored in a container such as a metal or glass jar and thrown away once it has cooled.

Another problem for clogged drains is food, especially with a garbage disposal.  Certain foods are thick and do not grind up as fine and can get stuck in the disposal.  Foods such as celery, potato or apple peels should be thrown away instead of tossed down the disposal.  Coffee grounds and eggshells are actually good for a disposal and do not cause problems with the drain.

Soaps and body lotions can cause problems for drains.  The ingredients in these items cause them to stick to the sides of the drain and build up in the pipes.  If you notice the soap scum that accumulates on your shower walls, this is what it does on the inside of the pipes as well.

If you have a clogged drain, you may be thinking about using a chemical product to remove the clog.  However, you should be careful when using these types of  products because they can cause damage to your system over time.  In addition, if they don’t work you will have a sink full of caustic chemicals to deal with.  The better option is to call a professional plumber to unclog the drain and avoid putting things in it to cause problems.

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Call A Plumber To Clear Clogged Drains

May 3rd, 2012 Posted in Clearing Clogged Pipes
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It’s tempting to try to clear a clogged or slow moving drain yourself, but your best move is to call a professional plumber.  Clogged drains are sometimes little more than a build-up of hair, soap, and other debris, but they can be an indication of a much more serious problem.

Homeowners often make the mistake of trying to clear the clog themselves and end up doing more harm than good.  Their efforts are well intentioned, but they end up causing damage to the pipes or just pushing the clog further into the drain lines where it is harder to remove.

Using a chemical drain cleaner runs the risk of damaging the walls of the drain pipes and if it doesn’t work, then you have a drain line and sink full of dangerous chemicals to deal with in addition to the clogged drain.  A good plumber has the experience and equipment to assess the situation and determine the best method for clearing the clog.

For clogs deep in the drain lines they have high tech video cameras that can be inserted into the drain to inspect the inside of the pipe. Once the problem has been identified, they can choose the best method to clear the clog.  There are different methods for clearing clogs depending on where the clog is located, the size and type of pipe, and what caused the clog.

In some cases traditional rootering with a drain cleaning snake is the best solution.  In other cases, high pressure hydro jetting may be the right answer.  Only an experienced plumber can choose the best method to safely and effectively clear the clog.

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