Keep Drains Clog Free
A much more straightforward solution to do is adjust your familys behavior to avoid clogged drains altogether. Avoid flushing wet wipes , paper towels, and feminine products down the toilet. Pour unused grease and oil, left over from cooking, into the garbage or in a disposable container rather than washing it down the kitchen sink drain.
You can search and check your city or municipalitys website for a safe disposal guide. Here is the guide from New York City as an example.
Backwater valves are another way to help prevent future sewage backups. They are one-way valves that let sewage pass out the drain, and it will not return or back up into your home.
How To Unclog A Toilet
Related
How to Use a Plunger
Attempting to force a clog through a toilet with a plunger can often make the problem worse. Instead, create a seal and slowly push down on the plunger before pulling it back sharply. The suction can help pull the clog back up toward the bowl, breaking the blockage and allowing gravity to take over.
For stubborn clogs, a plunger might not do the trick. Instead, a tool called a closet auger fits down inside the toilet bowl and allows the user to feed a cable through the toilet without scratching the coating. These augers can bust up clogs or hook the clog and pull it back through the bowl.
How Do You Unclog A Basement Drain With Standing Water
Basement floor drains are susceptible to clogging like any other drain in your house. Debris and residue can build up and cause blockages. A clogged basement drain is an issue many homeowners deal with, and it needs to be resolved immediately.
A leaking water heater, damaged pipes, and mainline clog are a few common reasons for water in the basement. There are various methods to solve a clogged drain in your basement:
You May Like: Basement Drain Backing Up In Winter
Reason : Drain And Trap Dry Out
If you dont have water flowing through the drain or trap, they can dry out and cause sewer gases to escape. This doesnt only happen in the basement drain, but also in sinks and drains in the bathroom or kitchen. You might have a shower in the bathroom in the basement that smells and it can be due to a P-trap that is dirty or missing to name a few.
How to fix it: Add water to the drain and the trap and this should help. If the trap is missing, you will need to have one added. A professional can help figure out the issue.
Great video that explains why the basement drain backs up:
Basement Floor Drain Backs Up: When Toilet Is Flushed
The most common cause of sewer backups after flushing your toilet is due to something being flushed that shouldnt have been. Another cause can sometimes be tree roots getting into the sewer line. To prevent further blockages, the water line should be shut off. You will need to find the shut-off valve. This usually is on the street side by your home, or in your home. Next, you will need to call in the professionals, because when theres a sewer line backup, it can damage the cities sewage line, costing you even more money.
If you exhaust these options and still arent able to fix the sewage backup in your basement yourself, the necessary next step is to. A drainage problem is not likely to resolve itself and may even get worse, so make sure you call as quickly as possible to fix any sewage clog in your drain.
So how much does it cost to unclog a main sewer line? These services will generally cost between $200 and $400, but if damaged pipes need to be replaced, the price may increase into the thousands.
Recommended Reading: Brushed Nickel Tub Drain Cover
How Do Floor Drains Work In A Basement
PVC piping is used in most of today’s drains, especially for the drainpipe. Cast iron is a material that was used to build old drains.
A washing machine, a water softener, or a basement laundry sink can all be drained through drains connected to the sewer system. A removable protective grill is always present on the drain.
The basement floor drain gathers any extra water and safely transfers it to a sewer or storm drain to prevent flooding. Through a pipe, water exits the drain and flows downward.
After entering the drain, water passes through a trap, which acts as a vapor barrier to keep sewage aromas out of the house, before going down a drainpipe that leads to a public sewer.
A circular drain unit with a trap and a cleanout is embedded in the concrete below the grill. In addition, floor drains include cleanouts just below the grate that avoid the trap and let you or the plumber access the line in case of a clog.
A catch basin, a drainpipe, and a plumbing trap will be located underneath. A cap that covers a cleanout is typically removed for servicing.
If the city sewer system backs up, certain floor drains contain valves that stop water from pouring back into the basement. However, remember that drains should only be partially submerged in water.
An overflowing drain may send a lot of water backward. It can result in the same problem with odor, rats, and insects entering your home.
How To Unclog A Floor Drain
Floor drains, found in basements all across the United States, dont get clogged very often. When they do, many clogs can easily be removed as a part of a DIY project, provided that the homeowner has the right tools at his or her disposal. In this tutorial, well discuss the best ways to unclog your stuffed up floor drain.
Recommended Reading: How To Get Rid Of Drain Odor
Let The Professionals Handle The Job
Have you tried the possible methods to unclog your basement floor drain with no fruitful results? You can always depend on professionals to do the job for you. Contact Covenant Plumbing in the Bloomington, IL area if you are looking for an efficient drain cleaning service.
Our licensed, expert plumbers are always available to provide quick, reliable services. We ensure to fix any issues with your drains with our expertise. Moreover, by tackling the root cause of your issue, we provide better solutions to deal with any future clogs.
For more information, you may give us a call at 309-320-2999 or visit our website to book an appointment.
Categories
Pour Water Into The Rain
No matter the amount of water you pour down the drain, the water level shouldn’t rise if the drain is not clogged.
Hot water is an additional helpful solution for mild blockages. Pour water that has been heated to at least 200 degrees together with a dish soap.
Fill the traps roughly once a month if sewer gas is an issue and there isn’t much water in your floor drains. A dry drain is a dead-end obstruction for waste because it will continue accumulating toxins that release carbon dioxide as it sits there.
Also Check: Grease And Hair Drain Cleaner
Reason : Flushing Of Improper Objects
Sometimes kids will play with toys around the toilet and the toys fall in, without the parent knowing. Other times, feminine products, napkins, paper towels, or baby wipes will be flushed and can clog the drain and back up the system. Did you know that some types of toilet paper also will clog the toilet and can back up the drain? It is better to use one-ply toilet paper as it dissolves better in the water than two-ply toilet paper.
How to fix it: Dont flush any of the above down the toilet, and use one-ply toilet paper, if possible. I know, that might be a tough sell to your family! If a toy or something important is in there, scoop out the water from the toilet bowl with a disposable cup. Then, if you see the object, with gloves on, pull it out. If not, use a plunger, an , snake, or a de-clogger.
Here is a great video about how to fix a clogged toilet when there is an obstruction.
Schedule Regular Floor Drain Cleaning
Preventative care is the best measure against potentially inconvenient and expensive problems. Cleaning your commercial drains on a monthly schedule is the best way to keep up with floor drain maintenance. By marking your calendar at the end or beginning of each month to clean your drains, it will be easy to remember preventative floor drain maintenance care and you can avoid risk for clogs and other problems.
Taking care of your commercial drains allows them to perform as efficiently as possible. A floor drain clogged with materials and dirt is not a fully functioning floor drain. Keeping up with a floor drain maintenance schedule ensures that your drains are working properly and do not become an inconvenience.
Read Also: Bosch Dishwasher Is Not Draining
Dont Ignore Stock Room Drains
Drain cleaning should not be overlooked, even in stock rooms or other mostly dormant areas. It is still important to clean these commercial drains! Over time, they can dry out and allow dirt and litter to fill them over time, eventually leading to a clog in your sewer line. Clogs can be both troublesome and expensive to fix, but easy to avoid.
Making sure employees mop even dormant stock rooms once every few weeks, or even once a month, will ensure that these drains remain dry and in good condition.
How To Clear A Floor Drain
In many basements, garages, and laundry rooms there are floor drains that carry away wastewater from central air conditioners, washing machines, water heaters, and snow-covered cars.
Over time, these drains collect large quantities of soap scum, laundry lint, sand, and slimy bacteria that crystallize inside the long drainpipe. To break through these tough blockages, youll need the extra clog-clearing muscle of an electric power auger.
- Rent a power auger with at least 50 feet of cable. Start by removing the strainer that covers the drain hole.
- Then, look for a clean-out plug on the side of the drain basin.
- Remove the plug with a wrench. That allows you to bypass the trap and feed the cable directly down the pipe.
- If the drain doesnt have a clean-out plug, youll have to snake the cable through the trap this is a somewhat more difficult approach.
Don’t Miss: How To Get Sink Drain Out
How To Clear A Basement Floor Drain Clog
If you discover your basement floor drain is clogged, its important to clear the blockage immediately to reduce the risks of flooding. Heres what to do:
Try a Plunger: A minor clog should clear after a few strong pumps with a plunger. Place the plunger cup so it completely covers the drain opening, and then go for it!
Baking Soda & Vinegar: Plunger didnt do the trick? Try pouring baking soda down the drain, then chase it with a healthy amount of white vinegar.
Snake the Drain: If you have a drain auger, feed the cable into the drain until you meet resistance, then turn the cable and try to reel back whatever is clogging the drain. Remember, the idea is to pull gunk out, not push it further down.
If you are unable to remove the clog from the basement floor drain on your own, contact a professional and a Donley plumbing professional will come to the rescue!
Floor Slopes And Low Points
A garage floor is generally designed with the drain type in mind. The floor of the garage, including the driveway, are slanted toward the drain to ensure water flows easily into the drain hole or trench. The garage floor should slope toward the drain a minimum of inch per foot.
This slope causes gravity to collect all the dirty water and debris in the area of the drain. This also explains why garage floor drains often get clogged because they collect debris like small bolts, dust, plastic and leaves that flow into the drain from a large floor area compared to the drains size.
Read Also: Bathtub Won T Drain Not Clogged
Types Of Floor Drains
There are 2 different types of floor drains wastewater and groundwater.
Wastewater floor drains, because they are attached to the sewer line, need to be trapped and vented. This is to prevent harmful sewer gasses from entering the home. Usually, wastewater floor drains are inside the home. A basement floor drain is one example of a wastewater floor drain.
Groundwater floor drains are for situations in which a sewer line is not present. However, they can require more maintenance due to the amount of debris that can get into them. A French drain is a type of groundwater floor drain.
What About Chemical Drain Cleaners
We have always advised people to leave the use of chemical drain cleaners to the professionals. In the first place, drain cleaners that contain harsh or toxic chemical content are not really good for your plumbing system. Over time, the chemical may cause the pipes to corrode thereby resulting to cracks, holes and other types of damages in the tubes.
We hope that you learned how to unclog a floor drain without a snake through our blog today. If the problem persists, just . Plumbers 911 Florida delivers exceptional plumbing services in Miami Springs FL including drain pipe cleaning, leak detection, plumbing fixture repair, plumbing appliances installation, , camera sewer inspection and many more! Call us now at 305-662-0668 , 954-468-0512 , 561-327-6287 to schedule a service!
Learn all about our trusted emergency services in Florida! Watch our video now.
Don’t Miss: Clean Toilet Tank Without Draining
How Do I Unclog My Garage Floor Drain
For the 1% of drain clogs too intense for this guide, youll need to . The team at Mike Diamond is expertly trained and always standing by. Were ready to help you with all your plumbing needs, inside and out.
Help My Garage Floor Drain Is Clogged
Garage floor drains get a lot of abuse, from dog hair to snow runoff to oil. With so much unmentionable gunk flowing down the drain, its no wonder it can easily become clogged. If your garage drain is backing up, use this guide to help get things flowing smoothly again.
Supplies
Heres what you need to combat a clogged garage drain:
- Baking soda, white vinegar, and boiling water
- Plumbers snake and old rags
You May Like: Ridgid Power Spin Drain Cleaner
How To Unclog A Drain Pipe
Sinks, toilets, and showers run into larger drain pipes, and those pipes sometimes clog as well. However, code dictates that there be a clean-out fitting installed at every change of direction. Simply remove the cap with a pair of pliers or a wrench, and use this access for clearing the clog.
One way to unclog a pipe is to use a larger wire snake. These snakes are more powerful, longer, and often feature more aggressive tips for breaking the clog up or hooking it for removal. Simply feed the wire snake through the drain, and continue advancing it until the clog is clear. One important tip though: If possible, run water through the pipes while snaking the drain. This will allow the freshly loosened build-up to flush through the system rather than just settling back in place.
There are also drain-cleaning bladders that utilize hydraulic force to clean clogs. These rubberized bladders hook to the end of a hose and fit inside a cleanout. As the hose fills the bladder, it expands to seal off the pipe. At the tip of the bladder is a hole that shoots water into the drain pipe, pressurizing it until the clog has nowhere to go but forward and through the system. Note that this system can potentially damage older pipes.
Avoid Dried Up Commercial Floor Drains
As mentioned above, your commercial drains need to not dry out. Floor drains are part of your sewer system. They aid in helping overflow and remaining gasses reach the main sewer line. Just like a bathroom sink, commercial floor drains have U-shaped P-trap pipes designed to hold water, which acts as a wall to prevent sewer gasses from coming up through the drain. Any foul smells will indicate the water trap is dried up, allowing those odors to escape.
This can be avoided by regularly refreshing the drain traps with a bucket of soapy water, as previously mentioned. Adding water should seal off any unwanted aromas.
Read Also: Home Depot Dishwasher Drain Hose