The plumbing system in your home carries waste away from sinks, toilets and showers into the sewer line that leads to your city connection or septic tank. A drain and sewer plumber Salisbury specialises in maintaining this system to prevent drainage problems and pipe damage.
A clog in the main sewer line can cause drains in your house to back up. Look for signs such as:
Clogged Drains
Clogged drains are a common problem that can create havoc throughout your home. Often, they lead to unpleasant smells and even more serious issues such as flooding or overflowing toilets. However, there are several simple and effective methods that you can use to repair most clogged drains.
Grease, hair, soap scum, and other waste stick to pipe walls over time and create a thick, sticky substance that “catches” anything else that goes down the drain. It causes a severe clog that is difficult to clear without professional help.
Many clogs can be caused by items that are flushed down the drain, such as dental floss, “flushable” wipes, and tampons. Using only the recommended amount of toilet paper and ensuring that these items are thoroughly flushed can help prevent blockages. Additionally, avoiding placing tree branches or shrubs near your drain lines and keeping them well-maintained can prevent clogs.
Clogged Toilets
A variety of things can cause clogged toilets. They can result from a blockage in your home’s toilet drain line or even the main sewer lines that lead away from your home.
It is important to ensure that non-flushable items are kept out of your toilet drain pipes and that your family understands that the toilet is for human waste and toilet paper only. Products that are marketed as “flushable”, such as wipes, menstrual products, napkins and cotton swabs, are not flushable and can cause major problems in your home plumbing system and municipal sewage removal lines.
You can prevent recurring toilet clogs by making sure you have thick, plush toilet paper and by using a plunger regularly. Mixing equal parts baking soda and vinegar is also a safe and effective way to break tough clogs.
Clogged Sinks
There’s a reason the sink plunger is in every home—it’s an effective tool for many drain clogs. Position the bell of the plunger directly over the clogged drain opening and pump vigorously in a straight up-and-down motion for a minute or more. If water flows freely afterwards, the clog is gone.
Food scraps, coffee grinds, hair and soap scum can all cling to pipe walls and impede water flow. If you have a garbage disposal, try running it to clear any large food debris that may have gotten stuck.
If not, you can try pouring boiling water down the drain if your pipes are metal and not PVC (PVC can be damaged by hot water). Use a drain snake or plumber’s auger for severe clogs, or call the drain and sewer plumber Salisbury. These inexpensive tools send a tough, spiralling line of wire to chew through and dislodge clogged material when fed down a drain line with a crank.
Clogged Showers
Shower drains clog often from hair, soap scum and other build-up. When this occurs, water will take longer than usual to drain from your bathroom and will start pooling in the area.
Before calling a plumber, you can try several home-based fixes for a clogged shower drain. You can use a wire to clear blockages that are close to the drain opening, and you can also pour boiling water down the drain.
Avoid using chemical drain cleaners, as these are dangerous for your pipes and can be hazardous to your health. Regularly pouring caustic drain cleaning chemicals down a clogged pipe will cause further damage.
Clogged Drain Lines
One of the most dangerous home plumbing issues is a clogged sewer line. Without a clear route to the main sewer system or septic tank, wastewater backs up through toilets, showers, sinks and other drains. Seek the services of a drain and sewer plumber Salisbury for this problem.
Sewer line clogs are usually caused by fats, oils and grease sent down household drains. These liquids seem harmless when poured down, but they cool and solidify as they go through your pipes. It causes them to stick together and trap other debris, eventually clogging the entire line. Other common culprits are paper towels, so-called flushable wipes and sanitary products sent down the toilet.