Your drains play an essential role in distributing clean water and removing sewage or wastewater from your home. Most individuals do not think about the drains in their kitchens or bathrooms until there is a moderate to severe clog. To help you diagnose a clogged drain in your house, we have created a list of the top 5 signs that may indicate a blockage in your sewer lines.
1.) Drains Are Producing a Gurgling Noise
If you hear a gurgling sound when you turn off your kitchen or bathroom sink, this is a sign of a blockage in your sewer lines. Types of materials that may cause a sewer blockage include grease, food, paper towels, medication, or femine hygiene products. Since a moderate blockage will cause air to become trapped in your sewer lines, you may notice a gurgling sound while you use your sink or fixture.
To eliminate the clogged drain, we recommend purchasing a plumbing snake from your local hardware store. This type of tool is designed to remove objects from the drain pipes of your home. If the plumbing snake doesn’t eliminate the gurgling noise, you may need to hire a licensed plumber to use hydro jetting equipment to eliminate the blockage. A professional may also be able to fix your clogged drain with a motorized drain snake.
A damaged sewer line may also be the culprit behind gurgling noises or clogged drains in your house. The process of repairing or replacing a sewer line behind your walls is not easy. To save time and money, we recommend calling a licensed plumber in your area to receive assistance with a sewer issue.
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2.) Wet Grass in the Yard
Do not overlook puddles in your backyard that are located near trees, bushes, and plants. If it hasn’t rained in your area, the excess water on your lawn may be caused by a clogged kitchen or bathroom sink in your home. In severe cases, a blockage in a water or sewer line may cause a leak to form underground.
Since the root systems of trees and plants are attracted to moisture, they will become attracted to sewer pipes that have small leaks. Roots are able to gain access to the interior of a pipe through small hairline cracks or holes in your sewer system. The invasion of roots in your pipes will cause leaks to become worse. If you notice a puddle of water or sewage in your yard, immediately call a licensed contractor to find and remove the clog from your drain. Depending on the severity of the damage to the sewer line, it may have to be replaced.
3.) Slow Drainage
Do you notice slow drainage in your sink while you are washing your hands or the dishes? This is a signal of a clogged kitchen sink drain. The most common causes of slow clogged drains in the kitchen include grease, fats, oils, and eggshells. The only material that should be flushed down your drain is water and soap.
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Since grease and oil become stuck to the walls of your piping, these materials will decrease the diameter of your sewer pipes. This will cause a clogged drain when you are washing the dishes in your kitchen. To restore the flow of water in your sewage lines, you will need to hire a plumber that is licensed to perform power rodding and hydro jetting services.
4.) Bad Odors
While slow drainage may be an abundant side effect of a clogged drain, you may begin to notice a foul odor from a blockage in your sewer lines prior to noticing drainage issues. These unpleasant odors may be from trapped food in your drain that are beginning to become rotten. On the other hand, a bad odor may also be caused by a rodent that has infiltrated your sewage line.
5.) Frequent Toilet Clogs
The most common reason for a toilet clog is the overuse of toilet paper. Other types of materials that cause clogged bathroom drains include toilet paper, female hygiene materials, and toys. If you are noticing frequent toilet clogs, immediately contact a licensed plumber in your local area. A moderate blockage in your drain may introduce damage to your sewer lines. In addition, a toilet clog may cause damage to the flooring of your bathroom if it keeps occurring.
4 Products That Cause Drain Clogs That Claim to Be Flushable
Flushable Wipes
Major brands continue to advertise wet wipes as flushable in homes. However, we can assure you that this is not the cause. If something sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Moisturized wipes don’t break down as fast as toilet paper does once they are flushed. Once wet wipes are flushed from the toilet bowl, they become stuck inside your sewage pipes and cause the toilets and drains in your home to become clogged.
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Fruit Pels & Meat
While it may seem convenient to flush your fruit peels and meat down your garbage disposal, these two items are known to cause severe clogged kitchen sink drains. Since fruit peels do not decompose quickly, they may become stuck in your pipes. In addition, flushing steak and chicken scraps down the drain may cause severe clogs and odors.
Meat products such as steak, chicken, and pork contain byproducts such as oils and fats. Once oils and fats are rinsed down the drain, they become struck to the interior lining of your drainage line. The excess buildup of oils in your sewage line may attract bacteria and insects. The abundance of bacteria and insects will cause a foul odor to form near your clogged kitchen drain. If you notice a clogged kitchen drain or a sewage odor, call a licensed plumber near you to detect and eliminate the obstruction in your pipes.
Egg Shells
Many homeowners choose to flush eggshells down their garbage disposal because they believe it makes the blades sharper. This is an outdated tale that has been floated around for centuries. In fact, the texture of eggshells is a notable cause of clogged kitchen sink drains in homes.
While eggshells may be bad for your sewage lines, they can also cause damage to your garbage disposal. Once an eggshell is flushed into a garbage disposal, it’s thin membrane may become stuck to the shredder rink of the garbage disposal. To prolong the lifespan of your disposal, we recommend throwing your eggshells into your garbage can in your kitchen.
Fibrous Foods
Potatoes, celery, onions, corn, and other types of food products with a high quantity of fiber or starch should never be flushed down the garbage disposal. These types of food can become enlarged in the garbage disposal and become stuck to the blades.
Since the motor of the garbage disposal is required to work harder to grind these food products, it’s lifespan will begin to decrease. If you have a broken garbage disposal motor or a clogged drain, hire a local plumber near your home to remove the obstruction from your drainage pipe.
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What Are Plumbing Vents?
There are several types of vents used in a plumbing system to release sewer gases and balance the pressure of air and keep water at appropriate levels in the traps. When either flushable or foreign objects are flushed repetitively, they can begin to collect around the vent sites and block them entirely. Clogged drain pipe vents will not allow the toxic sewage to flow properly and homeowners will likely be exposed to unpleasant smells.
Plumbing Services Near You
By checking out the background and reputation of a plumber, Jacksonville, FL residents can rest assured their problems will be fixed properly. The licensed technicians at Fenwick Home Services provide dependable drain cleaning services in Jacksonville and other areas of Florida to help you resolve issues with clogged drains. Our team also offers other types of plumbing services for water heaters, sump pumps, water lines, and tankless water heaters. Give us a call by phone at 904-217-5694 or book an appointment online to receive assistance with a clogged drain or another plumbing issue. We offer affordable plumbing repair services 24 hours a day.