Few things can be as great of an inconvenience as the inability to use your running water and plumbing system in your own home. Even if you have running water, your plumbing must work perfectly in order for you to be able to turn on the tap in the first place. Do not put yourself into a situation where you have to be inconvenienced and call in someone for emergency repairs. Make sure to keep your piping free and clear or else you may have some very time consuming and expensive repairs to tend to. Here are the five most common reasons for blocked drains and how you can try to avoid them.
1. Vegetation growth
Although not the most common, this factor could lead to some of the most expensive and extensive repairs you may have to deal with. Often times our piping systems have been installed when our homes were built long ago and new and different unforeseen blockages can occur by way of root systems from trees and other vegetation growth. The roots of a tree can slowly put pressure on plumbing lines causing them to break, bend, leak, or be blocked, all of which can create a worsening situation. Often times these repairs require expensive machinery, digging, and re-sodding of lawns.
2. Foreign objects
If your sink or tub was draining perfectly a few days ago and now suddenly sees to be clogged, you may be dealing with an object stuck inside of the pipes. This can occur when an object is left by a sink that does not have a drain filter or screen. Even if the object does not completely block the pipes at first, it may still begin to accumulate debris leading to a clogged pipe in the near future. Many with kids are familiar with random objects dug out of the pipes- many times toys!
3. Grease
If you are noticing a clog in your kitchen sink it may be due to a build up of oils. Many types of greases and lard can clog up drains very quickly. Do not throw excess cooking grease down the disposal and drain. Hot grease in its liquefied form will get inside the plumbing and then later solidify while grabbing ahold of extra food particles and debris. This will create a strong and difficult clog and may damage the pipes.
4. Hair
If you are noticing clogs in the bathrooms, the most likely cause is build up of hair. Hair, especially long strands, have the ability to become tangled creating larger and larger balls of hair that actually work like a net. The netting begins to trap other debris and smaller hair and before you know it the sink will not empty. Make sure to use a strainer in all bathroom tubs and sinks.
5. Non-flushables
You would think only children are to blame for attempting to flush random objects down the toilet, but you would be surprised how many adults do the same thing. It sure looks like we should be able to flush Q-tips and cotton swabs down the drain, though not all septic systems can handle it and the clogs that result can be some of the hardest to fix. Make sure you only flush items that have been deemed as septic system safe and completely flushable.
Avoid the common reasons for clogged plumbing and keep your system running smooth.