Plumbing problems are absolutely frustrating for everyone. Of the different plumbing issues people encounter, a clogged drain is the most common. However, if you learn what the most common causes of clogged drains are, they will be easier for you to fix. Below are four possible causes of clogged drains as well as their solutions.
Oil or Grease
Kitchen drains often get clogged. In many cases, the culprit is oil or grease that has begun to cake-up on the wall inside the drain pipe. To fix this kind of clog, first add some detergent to the drain followed by some hot water. The heat and detergent will soften up the caked-up oil or grease. After three to five minutes, use a plunger on the drain. The caked up oil and grease should be softened up enough to come out with the plunger.
Minerals
In other cases, the build-up inside a drain may be more significant. If you have “hard” water, the water flowing down you drains may lead to a build-up of mineral deposits inside. Eventually, this may create a mass that cannot be easily dissolved and blocks the drain. Overall, to permanently solve this problem, you need to install a water softener. This will be a major plumbing job that probably requires the services of a professional.
Hair
Another big cause of clogged drains is a build-up of human hair. When it goes down a drain, it can get stuck and begin to catch grease and small particles until the build-up is significant enough to block water from flowing downwards. You can likely remove this kind of clog with a plumber’s snake. For a more permanent solution, install a drain guard so hair can’t go down the drain in the first place.
Soap
Something you would not expect to clog a drain is soap. However, soap based drain clogs are quite common. This is because many kinds of soap bars actually contain grease or fat. This grease or fat releases when you wash your hands and can combine with the minerals in water to produce soap scum. Soap scum can build up into a clog. Pressure cleaning may be needed if the build-up is significant enough.
Overall, this list only contains some of the causes of clogged drains. In general, it’s a good idea to just be careful about what goes down your drain in general. If the only thing that goes down your drain is soft water, as opposed to hard water, you are unlikely to have to deal with a clogged drain.
