drain clogs Archives

Drain Clogs & Home Remedies

Posted on May 22, 2012 | by Drainiacs

If you haven’t heard us say it before, the number one thing you should know when it comes to clogged drains: IS TO STAY AWAY FROM CHEMICAL DRAIN CLEANERS! That doesn’t mean you need to give your plumber a call every time you get a clog though. There are actually quite a few home remedies that work well, none of which involve harsh chemicals, yet most of which will work just as good as any retail chemical drain cleaner. These are our top 3…

A good ole’ handy dandy plunger: It’s not just for toilets!

When our customers think of a toilet clog, they automatically grab a plunger, which is actually the right thing to do! However, when a bathroom sink, shower, or tub drain gets clogged we suddenly lose control and instead of calling a plumber, are quick to grab some chemical pollutants to try and make it right. Wrong! Just grab your plunger! 4 out of 5 times a plunger works great at pulling hair and scum out of a bathroom drain. Try it out!

Baking soda and vinegar: Making volcanoes in the bathroom!

Similar to chemical drain cleaners, mixing baking soda and vinegar causes a chemical reaction, which we have all seen in old childhood experiments of exploding volcanos. Unlike chemical drain cleaners, however, baking soda and vinegar are not harsh chemicals, and instead of eating away at the hair and scum in your drains, together they help loosen the particles that are stuck in the drain, in order to help clear them away. This process often has to be repeated a few times, but try it! Pour 1 tablespoon of baking soda down the drain, followed by about 2 cups of vinegar. Let it set for about 5 minutes and then follow it with 1 quart of boiling hot water.

Dish soap and hot water: It says degreaser for a reason!

Everyday liquid dish soap is a great way to cut through kitchen drain clogs often caused by grease buildup. The best dish soap is one that contains a “DEGREASER” which it will usually say on the bottle. Our favorite is the blue Dawn dish soap. Approximately 2 tablespoons of Dawn followed by 1 quart of boiling hot water repeated 2-3 times will usually do the trick. Try it out!

If none of these recommendations work, or if more than one drain is clogged in your home at the same time, you might be facing a bit of a deeper issue and we recommend that you stop all water usage in your home and give us a call immediately! We’re always here to help!

Root Intrusion & Drain Clogs

Posted on November 29, 2011 | by Drainiacs

Trees are beautiful for landscaping around your home and provide lots of shade during hot summer months, but beware! The roots from these beauties are the number one cause of sewer line damage in homes and are definitely the most expensive sewer maintenance problem as well. These roots can cause major backups in your system, or worse case scenario, can even cause a complete collapse of your system. Learn how to prevent and maintain your pipes from this damage, or, if you’re already experiencing a problem, learn what you need to do to stop these roots from causing any further damage.

How do roots get into my pipes in the first place?

A tree’s roots are actually made up of a couple different parts; the larger more permanent roots, located closer to the base of the tree, are for support and stabilization, and the smaller, more hair-like roots which travel away from the tree, are for water and nutrient absorption. When water travels through your pipes, its warmth radiates vapors in the piping, but if a small crack or leak is apparent, or if any of the joints are loose, these vapors radiate out into the soil surrounding the pipe. The small hair-like roots of the tree attract toward these vapors and enter the pipes at these small cracks and leaks or loose joints looking for water and nutrients. This is mostly apparent during hot summer or drought periods, or extremely cold winter months when there is no rain.

How do the roots affect my pipes though?

The hair-like roots will begin to grow within the pipe and form masses surrounding each point of entry. As you continue to use your sinks & showers, debris from your drains flows through these pipes trying to make its way to the main sewer line, but like a net, the roots become a catchall for this debris and slowly begin to clog your pipes causing backups and reduced flow in your drains. If not taken care of, these roots can cause a complete blockage in your drains, or worse, the roots will expand putting lots of pressure on the crack where they entered, causing the pipe to break and a complete collapse of your pipes to occur.

What do I do if I’ve already noticed my drains begin to slow?

Since the problem is underground and out of sight, it is usually kept out of mind until it’s too late. Slowing of your drains and gurgling from your toilets though, are the two biggest indicators of root intrusion in your pipes. Your best bet is to call a local plumber as soon as possible, like Daniel Cordova Plumbing, Drain & Sewer, to come check out the problem. Often a sewer camera inspection can help determine the extent of the damage; If the damage is minor, a plumber can remove the roots by using a root saw or a high pressure flushing system, but if the damage is severe, where the pipes are structurally damaged, they might require complete replacement.

How can I prevent roots from entering my pipes?

The best way to prevent root intrusion is first, to make sure that when you plant or re-plant trees and other shrubs around your home, that you find out where your sewer lateral pipe is located, the pipe that connects your home plumbing system to the main sewer line, beforehand, and make sure to plant at least ten (10) feet away from it. Second, is to schedule a regular cleaning of your sewer lateral pipe. Once roots have already entered your pipes though, and once you have had them cut or cleaned out, it is important to keep up with this maintenance because when cut from the inside of the pipe, the root is still located at the same entry point and will continue to grow eventually causing a major break of the pipe.

Since the sewer line is located in city property though, wouldn’t they have to take care of it?

Keep in mind that although the sewer line is generally located in the street, which IS city property, homeowners are still responsible for maintaining their sewer lateral pipe that connects their home plumbing to the sewer line.

Summing everything up, what is the overall story about root intrusion in my pipes?

Overall, roots can cause a lot of damage to your home plumbing system, and if not taken care of correctly, will eventually end up causing a complete collapse of your system. So make sure to get your drains inspected and cleaned regularly (we recommend scheduling an appointment at least once a year) and make sure to take care of any problems as soon as they occur. Waiting to fix these problems will only cause you bigger and way more extensive and expensive problems in the future.

10 Easy Things To Do (And Not To Do) To Avoid Calling A Plumber

Posted on August 29, 2011 | by Drainiacs

Plumbing problems can be a major pain, especially when they occur at the most unexpected, and sometimes most crucial moments. For example, picture yourself having a nice holiday gathering at your home. You’re right about serving a wonderful dinner that you have slaved to cook for hours over the stove for when all of a sudden your plumbing backs up! What a mess! Calling a plumber at a time like this might be your only option, but there are many ways to prevent this mess from ever occurring. Below are 10 easy things to do (and not to do) to avoid calling a plumber. Some of these may sound very trivial and some even completely obvious, but year after year, we find the same exact problems springing up in homes all around our general service area in Los Angeles County, with people disheartened by the damper it has put on their day. So before that next big event at your home, or even just as a daily or monthly cleaning and prevention plan, remember these tips!

Don’t put grease down your drain! Grease solidifies and clogs drains very easily.
Don’t use your garbage disposal as a trash can and dump large amounts of food & scraps down it, they build up and will either cause it to back up or break down.
Always turn on the water before turning on the garbage disposal, and keep it running for at least 30 seconds after turning it off to wash the waste down the drain.
Try to scrape off as much scrap food on plates and dishes into the trash, before rinsing in your sink, and especially before entering your dishwasher.
Try to keep the area around your sink clear of any small objects such as utensils and other kitchen gadgets that can easily slip down the drain into the garbage disposal and/or pipes.
Don’t dispose of any paper towels, cleaning wipes, sanitary wipes, or sanitary napkins down the toilet. These almost always cause toilets to clog. (Tip: Avoid making these items available in guest bathrooms altogether, as guest bathrooms are usually the ones that get backed up first.)
Once every two weeks pour about 2 tablespoons of regular liquid dish soap (preferably w/ a degreaser) down the drain, followed by about 1 quart of boiling water. This will help cut down the grease and buildup in your pipes to help avoid future clogs.
If you begin to notice the water pressure on any of your faucets getting low, try this: Fill a small sandwich-sized baggie with vinegar. Put the baggie over the faucet so the facet is completely submerged in the vinegar, and tie it down with a rubber band or two. Leave it sitting overnight. That should break down the mineral build-up and clear the holes that caused the pressure to backup.
Don’t use a liquid drain cleaner if there is already a clog! Once the clog is past your drain, the harsh chemicals in liquid drain cleaner will sit in your pipes and eat away at them, which will eventually cause even bigger problems.
Instead, if you begin to notice a clog or water backing up, try this: Take out as much of the standing water as possible, then pour about 1 cup of baking soda down the drain followed by about 1 cup of vinegar. The bubbling action should cut through most clogs. Once the drain starts running, pour about 1 quart of boiling water down the drain to flush out the remaining material.

Just like your teeth, although prevention through brushing is always your best bet to avoid any problems, sometimes cavities still occur. In this case, although you may follow each of these steps religiously (or at least just a few), problems sometimes still have their way of rising to the surface. In this case, don’t hesitate or wait until the last minute, give us a call today to get your FREE ESTIMATE or click here to request service online today! You don’t want to end up knee deep in brown water at your next big family gathering while the turkey is in the oven, so don’t forget these tips, or if you’re already there, give us a call as soon as possible! We’re always on call to help serve all of your plumbing needs. 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. We also do annual drain cleaning and inspections at a discounted rate. Just give us a call and ask us how to get signed up!