You turn on the water in your shower and step in, only to find that you’re standing in a small amount of water that hasn’t yet drained. You don’t think much of it, until you’re several minutes into your shower and you realize that the water level has been rising and now, you’ve got a few inches of soapy water keeping you company! You check the drain to see if it’s accidently been plugged, only to see that it’s open… so what gives?
The above scenario is one that numerous homeowners find themselves dealing with at any given time. The consensus is that it’s a clogged drain, but the clogging culprit isn’t always clear. Most people take the initiative to head on down to the local hardware store to buy a drain cleanser off the shelf, but without knowing what kind of clog you’re dealing with, this might actually be a futile effort. Instead, you’ll need to consult with a plumber in Modesto, CA if you really want the problem resolved.
The makings of a clogged drain
So, what’s causing your clogged drain? It’s a question you might never get an answer to unless you’re willing to call up a plumber and have your drain snaked. And, if you go for the one size fits all approach to trying to clear your blocked drain, you might end up with only a temporary solution to a problem that just keeps coming back.
Clogged drains can come in all shapes and sizes, and if you’re not dealing with them in the right capacity, you might be delaying the inevitable: a plumbing issue that’ll erupt one day. Take a look at some of the common culprits and what a plumber in Modesto, CA might do to make sure the problem is addressed properly in these given situations:
- Hair: For women and men with long hair, each time you shower you’re pulling out numerous strands that have nowhere to go but down. After a short time, these strands will clump together to form one heck of a clog in your drain! Snaking the drain should alleviate hair buildups.
- Scale buildups: Hard water creates scale. Generally scale is scrubbed away when you clean your bathroom, but down in the depths of your pipes, it might not be removed with regular cleanings. Usually, water jetting will resolve scale buildups and blockages.
- Foreign objects: If something accidently drops into your drain, it could come back to haunt you in the form of a clog. Snaking is usually a good way to retrieve whatever it is that’s not supposed to be in your drain.
- Tree roots: If you have trees in your yard, there’s a chance their roots can impact themselves into your plumbing. Water jetting is a great way to blast through roots and prevent them from further clogging your drains.
The above are only a few common causes of drain blockages and clogs—to truly get to the bottom of things, you’ll have to have your drain snaked or inspected via a drain cam.
Don’t ignore the problem
As with all plumbing issues, ignoring a clogged drain is only going to make matters worse when you finally have to deal with it. Clogs can impact themselves further if left unattended, making them harder to alleviate or, worse yet, depending on the clog itself, you could be dealing with something that leads to a fractured pipe!
Forgo the trip to your hardware store for drain cleaner the next time you experience a clogged drain and take the proactive route to preventing future clogs: call a plumber in Modesto, CA right away.