Are Your Drains in Good Condition?
Many homeowners barely spare a thought for their drains unless a problem develops. Your drains are an important connection between your plumbing and the sewer system. If your drains are not in good condition, it can lead to some serious plumbing problems. Fortunately, there are warning signs that your drains may not be in tip top shape. Taking note of these symptoms will provide you with the opportunity to perform some preventative maintenance and avoid a massive emergency repair bill.
Slow Draining Water:
Contrary to popular belief, drain clogs do not occur overnight. In reality, a clog develops when large amounts of waste accumulate in the pipe. This can happen over a long period as debris starts to stick to the walls of the pipe, restricting water flow and encouraging further waste to accumulate. Once the waste has met in the center of the pipe, the formation of a clog is complete. Fortunately, this issue can be addressed before a clog fully develops. If you notice that water is slow draining, you can avoid a clog forming by having your drains professionally cleaned with cable snaking or Hydro-jetting.
Nasty Smells:
While it is unrealistic to expect your drains to smell daisy fresh, they should not emit a nasty smell. Many homeowners assume that all drains are smelly and waste money pouring down chemicals and other products to improve the situation. This can be a costly mistake, as harsh chemicals are not only serious pollutants, but can actually cause further damage to the pipes. Nasty smells are particularly common in kitchen sink drains, where food waste can build up and cause a bad smell. If there are nasty smells around your drains, they will benefit from cleaning. If the nasty smell is not limited to one or two drains and is problematic throughout the home, it is an indication that there is a problem in the sewer line. This will require further diagnosis by a professional plumbing expert.
Backflow:
If foul smelling or discolored water is coming up from the drain, this is called a backflow. Back-flowing is caused by a failure in your plumbing system. The problem can be caused by sudden water pressure changes, which can allow water to flow through the system in reverse. This means that the backflow water from your drains can contain sewage and be particularly harmful to human health. Many homes have a backflow valve installed in order to prevent this, but if the valve is beginning to fail, you may experience this problem. You are likely to need a plumber to thoroughly examine your system to trace any underlying issues and replace the valve.
Your drains are a vital component of your home. Drains in poor condition can allow dirty water to flood back into your home, which is not only damaging, but could be potentially harmful to your health. Fortunately, you can avoid the stress and hassle of this situation by keeping an eye on the health of your drains. Don’t delay to have any minor issues checked out, as preventative maintenance is likely to be far simpler and cheaper than an emergency service call.
By Giovanni Longo President Flood Brothers Plumbing
Giovanni Longo is a 3rd generation master plumber who has been practicing his craft and trade in the greater Los Angeles area for well over a decade and a half. A plumbing and hydraulics-engineering innovator, Giovanni’s particular world-class expertise focuses on dealing with challenging sewer system designs as well as resolving complex commercial and residential draining issues. As a certified Flood Mitigation expert, he is also well versed in a wide variety of water damage and remediation solutions.
