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What Causes Your Drains to Clog?

Do you ever call your plumbing “names”? You know, the kind you wouldn’t want your children to hear, never mind repeat?

Plumbing can do that, even to the most pious among us. And nothing brings most peoples’ blood to a boil like a clogged drain or toilet.

And yet here’s the funny thing about that – there are some very common and frequent causes of clogged drains. So, doesn’t it stand to reason that if you take proper preventive measures, you’ll fewer – and probably far fewer – clogged drain problems to deal with? All those who agree, say “Tell me more!”

In fact, here are four of the leading causes of clogged drain and sewer lines, and common sense suggestions to help make sure you don’t let these problems happen to you.

1. Grease – Leave a greasy pan unwashed even for just a little while, and watch how fast grease and other cooking oils can harden. Well, that’s exactly what they’re capable of doing inside your drain lines, even with a thorough rinsing. The point is, why take the chance, when you can just as easily pour used grease, etc., into a disposable container and place it with the rest of your trash.

2. Paper – When you finish reading a paperback novel or doing a crossword puzzle, do you attempt to flush it down the toilet? We hope not, but if you tried, you’d have one ornery blocked toilet to deal with. Well, in less dramatic but ever-as-real fashion, you’re doing exactly the same thing when you repeatedly throw any kind of paper down the toilet other than toilet paper. So don’t!

3. Tree and shrub roots – Here’s a tricky one, all right. Because you could be the most careful person on the planet when it comes to what you do and don’t put in your toilet or drains and STILL have a major sewer or drain problem on your hands. That’s because tree and shrub roots can work their way inside your drains, even modern and yet poorly installed PVC drain lines. Here at Messmer, we offer a preventive maintenance step to help you avoid this problem, especially if you’ve experienced it in the past. It’s called Root X, a non-chemical, organic substance you can pour down your drains at regular intervals. Not only does Root X kill roots inside your drains without harming the trees or shrubs, it help prevents future root invasion. Root X is not available in retail stores, but you can purchase it directly from us.

4. Soap scum – Most hard soaps don’t completely dissolve, thus causing them to cling to the inside of drain lines where they will harden, build up, and eventually form a dense mass that makes it difficult, and eventually impossible, for water to get around. For better results and fewer headaches, start switching over to liquid soaps to the extent practical in your home.

If your home is in the midst of a clogged sewer or drain episode, here’s the perfect way to ensure a happy ending: contact Messmer Mechanical now, and we’ll make that problem disappear fully, and just as quickly as we can. We have all the experience and drain clearing equipment it takes, plus a determination to earn your complete satisfaction.