The majority of homeowners experience clogged drains at some point in their lives.
- Clogs can be a pain, but they are typically easy to fix.
If every drain backs up at once, a minor problem can become a major one and you may be dealing with a sewer drain clog. Clogs in sewer drains can be caused by a variety of factors. Tree roots, toilets, garbage disposals, and damaged sewer lines are the most common. Tree roots can grow toward sewer lines as they grow. If your sewer lines are aging, cracked, corroding, or otherwise damaged, tree roots can make their way into these pipes, interrupting the smooth flow of wastewater. Over time, the roots will expand. That can bring dirt into your pipes, but it can also cause a full blockage. Your drains will clog, and you may experience backups when that happens. It is also possible to cause sewer drain problems by treating your toilet like a trash can. Of course, you should avoid flushing foreign objects down your toilet. But did you also know that “flushable” wipes aren’t actually flushable? Other items flushed down the toilet can cause sewer line clogs and major problems! The same goes for your garbage disposal. Drains can clog quickly if you throw everything down your garbage disposal, from grease to leftovers from last night’s dinner. To catch bigger debris, make sure you have a kitchen sink strainer. The sewer line can crack, corrode, sag, and fail over time. A sewer line that is more than 20 to 25 years old is more likely to suffer from these problems. Damaged sewer lines may let dirt and other debris into them, and wastewater can’t flow through them as easily. This can cause clogs and backups in sewer lines.