Drain Clog Prevention

Why Does a Drain Clog?

Picture this true story. A young family bought a stately, old colonial house that was built in the late 1800s and was on the Historic Register.

After moving in they found that a shower drain was not working properly. There was always about a quarter inch of water left in the base after a family member took a shower. There is nothing more annoying than just getting up and having to step into a wet shower base.

Not to mention that the stagnant water is a breeding ground for bacteria that can cause athletes- feet, fungus, mold and skin infections. In fact, one of the family members contracted a nasty case of Cellulitis and had to be hospitalized for three weeks. Whether or not the Cellulitis was due to the stagnant shower water is not proven.

The Cellulitis bacteria lives on your skin. The family had to reschedule their showering with some children taking their shower at night before going to bed. The homeowner bought several drain cleaners. They would work for a week or so then the problem returned. This is why professional Drain Cleaning services are always the best alternative.

One day, one of his neighbors said: “I’ll bet I know what your problem is. Do you see that big, old willow tree in front of your house? The roots of that tree are probably clogging your main drain- pipe going to the street. All you need to do is to go to a hardware store and buy a special drain product that dissolves tree roots.” The homeowner did so.

Guess what? It worked for about two weeks and the problem returned. By now there was a black mold growing around the base of the shower. In desperation, the homeowner called his local plumber. The plumber opened the main drain that goes from the house to the street and tried to “snake” it. He could not get through. He then put a camera into the drain- pipe and you could see the tree roots almost blocking the entire pipe.

He then used a special cutter that spins rapidly and was able to free the drain. Problem solved? Not quite. It seems that when the house was built they used clay pipes instead of cast iron. The plumber’s advice was to replace them. That meant digging up the driveway and installing new pipes. Eventually, the homeowner did this.

How Can I Keep This From Happening?

Why tell this story? Many older houses in established neighborhoods were built pre-WWII and are not up to modern plumbing standards. It is not uncommon to encounter this type of problem. While commercial drain cleaner products may work, if you do have a persistent problem with a clogged drain it is best to call your plumber and find out exactly what has to be done to remedy the situation.

You may have old steel pipes that keep re-clogging. They may be so clogged that no amount of drain products will help you. Or you could have a blockage somewhere in your system that you are not aware of. It’s worth paying your plumber to fix your problem once and for all. You will have peace of mind and your stress level will diminish.

Are you looking for Drain Cleaning services in the Nashville area? Look no further than Green Hills Plumbing, call us today at (615) 866-1917.