Drain Cleaning Services

Common Reasons Drains Become Clogged

There’s nothing more frustrating than turning on a sink and realizing you have a clogged drain. The fact of the matter is that most plumbing issues involving clogs stem from similar factors. The most common reasons why drains become clogged include:

• Hair: If any members of your family have long hair, it is important to make sure you’re cleaning out the drain regularly. Install guards on all shower and tub drains to keep clogs from happening before they start.
• Soaps: While it may sound a bit backward to consider soap a reason for a clogged drain, it is possible. Most soaps—especially those that are handmade or use only organic ingredients—incorporate a form of fat as a binder. When the soap is washed down the drain, the fats or chemicals bind with hair and other debris in the drain to create a sticky mess. In turn, this can create a clog.
• Cooking Grease: If you regularly pour cooking grease such as hot oil or bacon fat down a drain, this can cause a buildup and later a serious clog.
• Small Objects: If you have children in your home, you probably understand this reason all too well. Small objects, including toy cars and building blocks, can sometimes accidentally find themselves falling down an unsuspecting toilet or drain. In turn, they become stuck in the pipes and can mingle with other items on this list to create a big problem.
• Excess Toilet Paper: It happens in nearly every household. One member of the family uses to much toilet paper and the drain clogs. If you’re able to dislodge it with a plunger, the toilet should drain down and work properly. If not, it might be time to call a plumber.
• Tree Roots: One of the most overlooked reasons why a drain can clog is tree roots. Small cracks or leaks in your underground pipes can become an entry for plant matter. Once they get in there, this can cause a serious clog that becomes difficult to repair. Instead, regularly review where you have trees planted outside your home and where you have plumbing installed.

Of course, these aren’t the only reasons why drains clog. There is a whole multitude of other scenarios to consider, which is why it is important to understand the point at which it is best to seek out professional assistance.

Home Remedies for a Clogged Drain

In some cases, a small kitchen drain clog doesn’t require the need for a plumber. Instead, you can try a few home remedies.

If you’re looking for a natural drain cleaner to clear your pipes, consider adding a cup of baking soda followed by one cup of table salt, one cup of vinegar, and boiling water. In many cases, you can clear a simple hair or grease clog with this recipe.

However, there are still times when even the best drain cleaner isn’t enough to do the trick and it becomes apparent that you need to call in a professional plumber.

What Methods Do Plumbers Use to Unclog Pipes?

In most cases, a professional plumber will be able to tell right away what the cause of the clogged drain entails. From there, they might just simply be able to use a tool—such as a drain snake or something a little more powerful—to remove the debris from the drain. In other cases, they might have to take the piping apart or use a tubal camera system to determine the issue. It really depends on where the clog is located and factors concerning the issue.

• Cabling or snaking – As an initial attempt to get rid of food bits and hair in your drains, we can do what is called cabling or snaking. A metal cable is inserted through the drain pipe to discharge foreign objects in your pipes.
• Augering – Using an auger, a tool designed for unclogging toilets and urinals, we can recover or force the foreign object out of your pipes.
• High-pressure water jetting – With high-pressure water jetting, grease, soap, and other types of buildup are flushed out of the drain system of your residential or commercial building using a high-pressure water jet.

Call Independence Electrical & Plumbing for drain cleaning services

There are many reasons to call Independence Electrical & Plumbing. We are proud to be one of the few contractors in Ohio that offer both electric and plumbing services. Another reason is we offer emergency plumbing service—meaning we are here whenever you need us. Call us today at (216) 789-7544.