Facing a slow or clogged drain line in the home is something that no homeowner wants to deal with. Not only is it annoying, but it can bring simple tasks in your home to an indefinite standstill until it can be fixed. Fortunately, clearing out a clog is not a tough job for our team, and depending on how superficial of a clog it is, you may even be able to manage it on your own with a basic plunger or a hand-cranked drain snake.
We’ll mention here, that it’s never a good idea to use those store-bought drain cleaning chemicals–they can actually do more harm than good for your plumbing system.
What about when you can’t clear that drain clog on your own though? or something seems different about it? Clogged and slow drains, especially when it’s multiple drains in your home, may indicate something a bit more sinister. It could be that your home’s sewer line has a clog–which is more serious than just a simple drain clog, as it can cause backflow into your home of wastewater, and other problems.
So how do you spot the difference between a basic drain clog and a sewer line blockage or some other sewer line problem? Read on to find out!
Are You Experiencing Frequent Drain Clogs?
You don’t want to have clogs happening so frequently that a plunger is standard equipment for your bathroom or your kitchen. Clogs that occur more than once a month are definitely a problem, and if they’re happening in multiple areas of your home it’s definitely a sign that there may be a blockage in the sewer line.
This is especially true if the clogs are simultaneous. If you have drains that seem to be clogging on the lower level of your home at the same time, then you may be looking at a sewer line clog, and you want to have this addressed before it starts expanding upstairs to any bathrooms you have up there.
Do You Detect Foul Odors From Your Drains?
A single drain that’s begging to smell bad probably indicates a simple problem==maybe the drain hasn’t been used in a few weeks or so, and the water plug in the p-trap that keeps sewer gas from flowing in the wrong direction in your plumbing system dried up.
Try this: pour some water down the drain! Yes, the fix might be as simple as this.
Trying hot water and some elbow grease with a plunger can usually do the trick. If it doesn’t, or you start detecting odors from multiple drains in your home, this is a sign that there is a blockage and sewage is starting to get backed up in your pipes, forcing the foul-smelling gases up through those pipes. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you suspect this is the case!
For expert and reliable drain cleaning in St. Peters, MO, look no further than Performance Plumbing. Contact us today!