Clogged pipes can be a pain to deal with, whether they’re a minor problem or a major inconvenience on your property in Connells Point. Even a partial obstruction can cause the water or waste in a home’s plumbing system to redirect or else build up in an area, leading to all manner of problems from backed-up water, to slow drainage, to low water pressure, and even flooding.
The good news is that some things that cause clogged pipes are either easy to deal with, or easy to prevent. A hair clog, for example, can be prevented by having a strainer of sorts attached to shower or bathtub drains that will then catch those stray strands of hair before they can gather further down the pipe and form a clog. The bad news is, of course, that not all causes have easy fixes. You can try to prevent them, but when they do happen, you’d have to call a plumber to handle the repairs. Here’s an overview of those causes.
Tree Roots
If the blockage or clog is in your water main or your sewer main, chances are it’s caused by tree roots invading and growing into that pipe. This is more common in older homes, but that doesn’t mean newer houses are immune. Tree roots look for moisture, so it’s only natural that they’ll be drawn to the water in your pipes.
If you live near a wooded area or you have a number of trees on your property, then it helps to keep an eye out for signs of tree root invasion. Some experts say that the first sign of this is a gurgling sound in any of your pipes. If you want to be absolutely sure, though, you’ll want to find a qualified plumber to carry out a video inspection of your main lines every few years.
Fat, Oil, And Grease
These three materials can wreak havoc on any plumbing system, regardless of age, because they don’t dissolve easily and can accumulate in one area or several. While you’d think twice before pouring bacon grease down the drain, you may actually be disposing of other things like vegetable oil, steak trimmings, or even cream and icing. These may contain fat, oil, or grease in certain quantities, and that can build up even if you’re throwing away only a little at a time.
If you suspect these materials are the cause of the clog, call a plumber to help get rid of it before the clog becomes bigger and the blockage gets worse.
Pipe Scale
Since water can contain minerals like magnesium and calcium, along with other metallic elements, it can leave deposits of such behind whenever it goes through your pipes. These deposits can then interact with the pipes and start building up, eventually reaching a point where it causes a clog. In severe cases, the blockage will affect not just your pipes, but even appliances like dishwashers.
There’s no surefire way to tell that pipe scale is to blame for a clog; all you can do is call a plumber and have them determine the cause, and then make the necessary repairs.
There are other causes of a blocked pipe, of course, but as mentioned earlier, not all of them warrant a call to a professional as soon as possible. If you want to find a qualified plumber in Connells Point or you need more information, check out this page.