clog

Toilet Clog

Few home issues rival the frustration one will encounter when dealing with a clogged toilet or drain. Some clogs may be imminent no matter how careful you are, but there are some things to keep away from your drains to help avoid and prolong them from occurring:

  1. Hair: Animals aren’t the only species subject to shedding. You may not be aware, but you lose an incredible amount of hair when showering. Don’t worry, this is healthy and usually grows back, so there’s no need to avoid the shower to keep yourself from balding. Your hair ends up entangling and clumps together in the drain piping. This decreases the water removal rate of your drain and can cause water to back up in the tub.
  2. Soap and Hard Water: Hard Water can be a real jerk (see our recent discussion on the subject). When soap and Hard Water combine, the outcome is a really tough soap scum that sticks to the linings of your drain piping. This unwanted lining will both catch objects passing though the pipes and restrict the amount of room that your used water has to flow through.
  3. Grease and Fats: This one pertains mostly to your kitchen sink and garbage disposal. You’ve definitely poured bacon grease down your sink drain. When it is hot it looks like a liquid that would pass through like water would, but have you ever left the grease in a pan for a bit? It turns into a gel like substance that’s incredibly hard to wash off. Once this hot grease or oil cools down or hits water as it passes through your pipes, it will congeal and most likely clog them.
  4. Foreign objects: Duh. I think we all agree that it should be pretty common knowledge not to flush a stapler or pair of socks down your toilet, but there are several items that people flush on a daily basis that may not be so obvious. Feminine products, q-tips, paper towels and trash should all find their way into the trash can, not down the drain. Basically, if it’s not toilet paper or your own human waste, keep it away from the toilet.

Keeping all these things in mind can go a long way in preventing clogged drains in your home, but the unfortunate reality is that clogs will eventually find their way into your home. When this does happen, and if you’re unable to plunge through it, please think of us over here at Resolve Trenchless Solutions when calling out a professional to clear your drains.

Do I have a Clog?

While the tell-tale sign of a leak in your home’s drain pipes is usually as easy as looking for a backup of water, there are other several other indicators that can occur well before your clog is so extreme that it causes a backup. If you notice any of the following things, you’ve most likely got a clog coming your way that you should take care of sooner than later.
Sinks and Showers:

  1. Drains Slowly: While water may not be entirely backing up, does it appear as though it’s draining slower than it should?
  2. Gurgling Sounds: Your pipes are meant to allow whatever is put down it to run smoothly. If you hear a gurgling sound coming from any of your drains, it’s a sign that that something may be obstructing its path.
  3. Rotting Food Smell: This mostly pertains to your kitchen sink or garbage disposal. If you smell a foul food odor coming from your drain, it’s probably because there’s food stuck in your drain. While your sink may not be backing up now, all it takes is a few additional pieces of food to stick and cause a major clog.

Toilets:

  1. Toilet Constantly Running: This could be a sign that your toilet is trying to push through a clog. If it’s randomly refilling without being a flushed, you may have an impending clog on your hands as well.
  2. Poor Flushing: If it seems like your toilet is struggling to flush or won’t flush at all, it could be the result of some blockage or build up.
  3. Leaks around the Toilet: This could be a myriad of problems, among them being a clog. See our entry on how to detect toilet leaks to help pinpoint the issue at hand.
  4. Hissing Sound: If you hear a hissing sound or water trickling in your tank, chances are that something is up and you’ll want to address quickly.

If you do encounter a clog, chances are a plunger could go a long way in helping you resolve it. If you don’t own a plunger or are still unable to get through it, we here at Resolve Trenchless Solutions would be more than happy to come out and RESOLVE your clog.