What Will Your Plumbing Find Blocking Your Drains?

If you have a slow drain and have plunged and plunged yourself to no avail, then the best thing to do is to call a plumber. When making this call, so many people find themselves wondering what could possibly be causing the clog. They can't remember shoving anything overly large or sticky down there, so what could possibly be amiss? The things that cause plumbing clogs are not always what you'd expect. Here's a look at what your plumber might find.

Hair

Hair looks tiny and like it should flow down the drain with no problem, right? But here's the thing: although hair is tiny, it tangles easily, and it only takes a few long pieces of hair to form a pretty big tangle. Then, that tangle starts grabbing onto soap scum, little pieces of shaved hair, and any lint that ends up going down the drain. Before you know it, you have a big, hairy clog that won't budge. No worries; your plumber can blast it away with a hydro jet or pull it out with a plumber's snake.

Tampons

Disposing of a tampon by flushing it down the toilet may at first seem like a reasonable thing to do. But tampons are made from tough cotton, which takes much, much longer to break down than toilet paper. If they get stuck in a drainpipe, they're going to stay there until someone forcibly removes them. People are often confused when their sink drain issue ends up being caused by tampons, but remember that both your sink and your toilet ultimately empty into the same pipe, and if that pipe gets clogged by tampons, your sink will stop draining well. Remember that you should never dispose of feminine hygiene products by flushing them down the toilet. 

Grease

Most people know better than to pour grease down the drain and are utterly shocked if their plumber tells them grease is causing the clog because they haven't knowingly poured grease down there. But grease can end up in the drain from some overlooked sources. Do you wash your face with coconut oil? That's grease that can eventually cause a blockage. Do you pour leftover sauces down the drain? Most sauces contain enough oil to contribute to clogs over time. Scraping plates into the sink can do it, too, if you have butter or a fatty sauce on the plate.

It can be surprising to see what a plumber removes from a clogged drain, but rest assured — no matter what's blocking the drain, it can be removed. Reach out to a local professional for drain cleaning services. 


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