When your bathtub and shower drain begin to drain slowly that usually entails there is a blockage in the drain. Another sign of having a clogged drain is if you take a shower and water begins to rise to your ankles creating flood like conditions in your bathroom. It also could be a sign if there is an unpleasant odor, and unusual gurgling noises from the drain.
From our past experience shower and bathtubs drain slowly because there is an accumulation of soap and hair built-up in your drain. Take a look inside of your drain and see if there is any hair in it, often you can reach in and pull out the blockage either with your fingers or tweezers. If you cannot locate the clog and pull it out try plunging the drain. Prior to plunging make sure there is enough water in the bathtub to cover the bottom of the plunger and put it over the drain. Push down 5-10 times and the pressure to the drain should open up the pipe. Once the plunger is lifted water should drain quickly, if it does not work repeat the same process. Our next suggestion would be to use a snake drain. In a bathtub and shower drain you need to feed the snake down through the over flow plate opening. Began feeding the snake 3 feet into the opening this should break up the clog and eventually make its way through. If you are attempting to unclog the blockage and are having a hard time contact us at Rodgers Plumbing and we will send an expert to diagnose the problem.
From our past experiences that Rodgers Plumbing has dealt with it sounds like you have a serious blockage in your main sewer and septic line. If this is the case unfortunately you are beyond the point where a drain snake and cleaning product can resolve your issue. We suggest calling one of our Rodgers Plumbers for an effective drain cleaning service.
The water is coming in from the outside and it is coming in from the city sewer line or the septic system. City sewer lines can become clogged with debris and greases which causes the water to come in to your home through basement drain pipes, sinks, toilets and shower drains. Sewers can back up during heavy rain storms when the water runoff fills the pipes to capacity causing them to overflow. Water in your basement can lead to damaged walls, floors, carpeting and furniture causing mold to form. In order to keep your drain lines clear you can install back flow preventers that help prevent storm water flowing into your house. It is best to call one of our Rodger Plumbers experts to examine the cause of the backup.
A garbage disposal is a machine used to shred foods and waste into small pieces. Absolutely do not place glass, plastic or metal non food supplies down the disposal. Rodger Plumbing suggests running cold water to dispose the waste down the drain regularly to keep it clean. Hot water should not be used because it can dissolve fats and greases. Stay away from placing chicken bones, eggshells, stringy vegetables, pasta, fruit pits, shrimp shells, banana and potato peels down your garbage disposal.
A plumbing snake is used to remove debris that is hard to reach. The plumbing snake is reserved for difficult clogs that cannot be taken care by the use of a plunger. Drain snakes come in different shapes in sizes according to the clog you are experiencing. A toilet auger is a snake made especially for a blockage in a toilet. Top snakes are mostly used for bathtubs, shower drain blockages and occasionally the kitchen sink. Depending on how bad the drain is clogged, sometimes snake drains can be tough to work with. A snake drain is successful when it is inserted in the hole and maneuvered through the clog until water can pass through.
There are numerous reasons a drain can clog. When your kitchen sink is clogged usually that stems from the buildup from greases, soaps and food particles. A bathroom sink drain can clog from hair, toothpaste and soaps, as well as the bathtub and shower drains. Also your toilet drains can get overwhelmed with the amount of toilet paper being used. Rodgers Plumbing suggests not flushing, napkins, paper towels, floss, hair, medicine, diapers, and feminine products down your toilet.
Being suspicious and aware of the possibility of a clogged drain early on will cause you less stress and money. Our Rodgers Plumbing experts suggest looking to see if your toilet water bubbles when the sink is running. Also beware if the water in your sink begins to backup and if water begins to drain slowly from your bathtub and sink. If you try to flush your toilet and the water level in the bowl is not the same as before that usually is another sign of a clogged drain. Another reason to be suspicious of a clogged drain is the releasing of a nasty odor equivalent to the smell of rotting food.
At Rodgers Plumbing our Drain and Sewer Cleaning services include fixing clogged drains, cleaning sewer and drains and much more!