9 Common Causes of Clogged Drains and Solutions | Tips from Your New Orleans, LA Drain Cleaning Service Provider
At some point, almost everyone has had to deal with a clogged drain. The water stops draining, it starts to fill the sink or tub, and you’re left wondering what to do. After hiring a plumber for drain cleaning service, you can educate yourself on the common causes of drain clogging. This ensures you won’t repeat the same mistakes in the future and have to keep hiring plumbers for a preventable issue.
1. Hair
The average person loses between 50 to 100 hairs from their head in a single day. Combine this with shaving for both men and women, and you have a significant amount of hair going down the drain. Often, strands can bind with grease and other substances in your drain to form a solid barrier.
Solution: Drain Guards
Households can significantly benefit from purchasing drain guards that prevent hair from passing down the drain. These guards can be found cheap on Amazon or at your local hardware store and should be installed in all your showers and sinks.
2. Soap
Many forms of soap are made up of fat or grease. As a result, little bits of soap can bind with other substances in your drain to form a solid barrier. Or, the particles of soap bind with the minerals in water to create a hard content known as soap scum.
Solution: Soap-Free Washes
Switch out your soaps for soap-free washes, such as body washes. These alternatives will keep you clean while also leaving your pipes open.
3. Food Waste
As people wash their dishes, it’s natural for some scraps of the food to pass through into the drain. Try to avoid allowing food scrapes to go down the drain as much as possible. Even if you have a garbage disposal, those small bunches of food can clump together and clog the drain.
Solution: Compost Bin
Have a small compost bin next to the sink while you wash dishes. Scoop out all food scraps and put them into the compost bin instead. For people with gardens, compost can make a great addition to your soil. For anyone living in a condo, you can freeze your compost to prevent decomposing, and find a local compost solution provider.
4. Oil, Grease, and Fat
Every plumber has experienced being hired for a drain cleaning service to find drains clogged by cooking fat. Oil, grease, and fat solidify in pipes and can cause severe problems. Despite some old school advice, running hot water as you pour oil down the sink is not a solution either.
Solution: Compost or Soak It Up
If you have a compost bin, you can add fat to the compost. Otherwise, soak up the grease with a paper towel and throw it out.
5. Dirt
It may surprise some people to know that you can’t wash off a lot of dirt in the shower. Dirt particles can mix with other substances for form blocks in your pipes.
Solution: Shake It Off
If you’re covered in excessive amounts of dirt or mud, try to shake off as much as possible before washing off.
6. Mineral Build-Up
Hard water typically has excessive minerals in it. These minerals can harden in your pipes and cause insoluble masses. Some signs that you have hard water is the presence of soap scum around your bathtub, windows, and doors, dry, itchy skin, and the appearance of spots on your dishes.
Solution: Install A Water Softener
If you suspect you have hard water, speak to your plumber when you call for drain cleaning service. Ask them to advise a water softener for your home and a quote on the installation price.
7. Toilet Paper Build Up
The United States is the number one consumer of toilet paper in the world. It’s not entirely uncommon for plumbers to be called in for a drain cleaning service due to toilet paper overuse. Excessive toilet paper won’t dissolve and will clog up your drains. The quilted and double or triple-ply toilet paper are especially prone to clogs. If a plunger doesn’t work after a toilet clogging situation, you’ll need to call in a plumber for drain cleaning service.
Solution: Moderation
Toilet paper should always be used in moderation. If necessary, toilet paper can be spread out through several flushes.
8. Tree Roots
People may not be aware that tree roots are a common drain problem. If there is even the smallest crack in your underground pipes, tree roots can work their way in and block up the passageway. Once the tree roots get inside your pipes, they can multiply and become a significant problem for your piping. This type of fix can be quite tricky, so it’s recommended you hire a professional plumber if tree roots are impacting your pipes.
Solution: Ask the Professionals
Make sure to clear tree roots from around your home whenever you can. Additionally, anytime you call in a plumber for drain cleaning service, ask them to inspect your underground pipes for any potential problems.
9. Some Extras: Cotton Swabs, Cat Litter, Feminine Hygiene, and More
Anything extra that is going down your pipes and shouldn’t be can be the cause of clogged drains. Everyone knows that you shouldn’t throw items such as cotton swabs or feminine hygiene products down the toilet. However, have you ever taken the time to explain to your kids that they shouldn’t be flushing these items?
Another surprising item that some people throw down the toilet or sink is cat litter. However, cat litter is made up of materials such as clay, silica, and sand. All of these quickly form solid blocks in your pipes that can have severe consequences for your pipes.
Solution: Discuss Drain Etiquette
Make sure to have a conversation with all family members, partners, children, roommates, friends, and guests about the importance of keeping your drains free of anything other than water.
A slow draining sink, bathtub, or toilet, is the sign of a clog. And, clogs typically get worse quite quickly. Always call a professional plumber for drain cleaning service. A professional can advise you on how the clog happened and what can be done to prevent future problems.
bluefrog Plumbing + Drain of New Orleans, LA for Your Drain Cleaning Service Needs
bluefrog Plumbing + Drain is a national plumbing organization. The location in New Orleans, LA, has been serving the surrounding community for many years. Call bluefrog Plumbing + Drain for your drain cleaning service needs or any other plumbing needs. bluefrog provides high-quality service, from professionals you can trust, with competitive prices. Let bluefrog Plumbing + Drain of New Orleans tackle your clogged drain today.
Priority Service