What’s that not-so-lovely aroma wafting around your house? You follow your nose to discover a backed-up drain in your kitchen or bathroom.
Ewww! What are you going to do now?
Depending on the cause, you may be able to clear it yourself. If the blockage is particularly stubborn, or very far down in the pipes, you may need a professional to help.
Check out a few of the most common cause to start diagnosing your issue immediately!
1. Kitty Litter
We flush human waste down the toilet, so it makes sense that animal waste can go down too. The problem is that kitty waste usually has kitty litter stuck to it.
Litter is designed to clump together when it gets wet so you can easily remove it from the box. Unfortunately, this effect is obviously detrimental in your drains. Plunging may work to loosen and clear the blockage.
2. Tree Roots
Sometimes your drain blockages have nothing to do with anything that you’ve put down your drains. Your landscaping could be the culprit.
Though hard to believe, tree roots are attracted to the nutritious soup flowing through your pipes. Over time, they may find a way inside the pipe at a tiny crack or joint. As the root grows, it can fill up the pipe and cause a blockage. There will also be a leak so keep an eye out for particularly lush areas of your yard.
How do you find this type of hidden problem? Plumbers use CCTV cameras to inspect drains from the inside. This helps them diagnose the problem and launch a plan of attack.
3. Shifting Pipes
In older systems, the pipes can slowly shift over time as the ground moves and settles around them. This movement is a particular problem for older systems that depend on gravity to move the sludge. If the pipes get pushed up at the wrong spot, it becomes difficult to maintain the flow.
You’ll definitely need a professional if this is your problem, and you may need to replace part or all of the system
4. Stuff in the Toilet
There are only two items that should go down a toilet — human waste and toilet paper. Unfortunately, other bathroom waste such as cotton swabs, feminine hygiene products, nappies, and baby wipes still end up getting flushed down the drain. Even thicker types of toilet paper can get balled up and cause a backup.
Furthermore, other foreign objects (such as kids toys or other things a kid might throw down the toilet) can end up in the drain.
Any of these things can cause a major problem. Some of these blockages can be cleared with a plunger or chemical drain cleaner. Severe issues will require the attention of a professional.
Keep Things Moving
The best way to keep things moving is to avoid putting anything down your sinks, showers, or toilets that doesn’t belong there.
