A multitude of substances can cause a blockage in the various drains throughout your house. A quick check of your drains can help prevent a messy back-up.
Here are the various types of drains you might see throughout your house, what can block them, and the best way to get them clear and back to normal.
Kitchen Drains
Your kitchen sink undoubtedly sees a ton of action. From food to liquids, and just about anything else you might find yourself pouring down the drain, the kitchen sink is among the first places you should be checking. A warning sign of a kitchen sink drain issue is slow draining water. If you see this, you should invest in a drain cleaner, as well as a clog remover. If you decide to not use a chemical cleaner, a cup of baking soda and white vinegar alongside boiling water will fix most minor issues. If the blockage persists, contact a professional for diagnostics and the next steps needed. Your plumbing professional can recommend a drain maintenance chemical that will not harm your pipes.
Floor Drains
Floor drains fall victim to not only all of the possible liquids around the outside and inside of your house, but the outside ones can also be blocked by leaves and yard debris. Check to see if these drains are clear. You can use gloves to pull out any surface blockage and it’s a good thing to make sure you have a small grate over your drain, which will keep it clean for the most part. A good place to check for these floor drains on the inside is in your laundry room, garage, or basement. For most floor drain blockages, you’ll want to contact a professional to determine if the water is backing up from a main sewer stoppage or possibly a failed ejector pump.
Bathroom Drains
Bathroom sinks can easily get clogged due to hair, soap, and toothpaste. There are some fixes that you can do in a short amount of time. Due to the chance of the blockage being hair, chemicals might not be needed. Check the stopper in your sink. It is usually circle shaped and left open. If you can pull out the stopper, make sure to do so and then fish out hair with a hook-shaped wire. Something like a wire clothes hanger might be handy. Then run hot water down the pipe. If you can’t remove your stopper, then it’s held in by a pop-up rod. If you remove the pop-up rod, the stopper will come out so you can access the drain. Jewelry, especially wedding rings, often find themselves falling down the drain. If this is the case, don’t run any water and make sure to call a professional.
Toilet clogging is yet another common issue. If the toilet won’t drain, try a plunger. If water is overflowing from a toilet that has not been flushed, it is an indication that the main sewer is stopped up. Stop running water immediately and call you plumbing professional. It’s also important to remember that you should never flush anything other than human waste and toilet paper. While wipes, feminine hygiene products, and some other items may say they are safe to flush, they are not! Flushing these items will eventually cost you a lot or money in sewer rodding.
These are the various types of drains in and around your house that can be blocked and the various methods for best dealing with them. Make sure to check your drains this fall and prevent any accidents that may cost you in the future.
