In a busy household, you barely have any time to deal with a clogged drain. You need the problem taken care of quickly — and that’s what you can count on when you call RJ Plumbing. We’re a full service residential plumbing contractor here in Clark County WA, and we’re family owned and operated, so we understand that a clogged drain can quickly become a serious problem if it disrupts your daily routine.
RJ Plumbing offers 24/7 emergency plumbing services and experienced service technicians who provide effective solutions that fit your budget. Whether it’s a backed up bathtub or a kitchen sink that won’t drain or anything else in between, call us today for fast service. We’ll handle your clogged drain quickly.
What Are the Early Warning Signs of a Clogged Drain?
Catch your clogs early! If you do, they can often be resolved without help from a professional plumber. Here are some early warning signs to look for:
- Basins are Slow to Drain
- Bad or Moldy Smell
- Water Leaking Under or Around Fixtures
If you catch a clogged drain early, you may be able to treat it. Here are some DIY solutions for clogged drains:
- Boiled Water: Large amounts of boiling water can have a strong effect on clogged drains. Boil a whole kettle and pour water down the drain, pausing every so often to give blockages to break up. This won’t work for every drain clog, but it’s essentially free and worth trying.
- Baking Soda + Vinegar: If boiling water doesn’t work, try pouring half a cup of baking soda down the drain followed by half a cup of vinegar. Plug the drain and let it work. After an hour, flush the drain again with boiling water. Note: Don’t overuse this method. Baking soda and vinegar are both caustic agents that can eat away at parts of your pipes.
- Plunger: Make sure to form a seal against the drain. Pump the plunger up and down several times. Remove it, flush with hot water, repeat the process as needed.
- Avoid Drain Cleaners If Possible: Commercial drain cleaners are extremely caustic, which is why they work well for small localized clogs. They’re not a good choice for frequent use because they eat away at your pipes rapidly. They’re not very effective against large clogs, either.
Call RJ Plumbing If the Problem Persists
Drain clogs usually build up over the course of many years – they’re not typically caused by a single incident or piece of debris. A professional plumber can not only clear the clog – but also clean the pipes from the inside – ultimately extending the lifespan of your drain system.
Hydrojet treatment is highly effective at cleaning the entire system from the inside out. If your drain system is in the middle of its life or earlier, we recommend hydrojet treatment to help you maximize its performance and value over the long run.
A drain opener (also known as a drain snake) is another highly effective treatment one of our service technicians can perform. Although a drain opener won’t clean your pipes like hydrojet treatment, they will clear the area of the clog and areas surrounding the clog.
Many drain clogs are stubborn, and if this is the case for yours, your best choice is calling a professional plumber.
What Are Common Causes of Clogged Drains?
Bathroom drain clogs and kitchen clogs have similar but different causes. In a bathtub drain or bathroom sink drain, hair and dirt are common causes of blockages, but also, there’s the gradual buildup of soap scum along the inside of the drain. This gradually narrows the pipes over time.
In kitchens, food debris, fat and oil are frequent culprits of drain clogs, but this usually happens after blockages have been building up inside the pipes for years.
Having a garbage disposal can reduce the size of food waste, thereby decreasing the risk of blockages. However, this really only is true if you dispose of food waste down the drain infrequently.
How Can You Prevent Your Drain from Clogging?
The best way to prevent drain clogs is to monitor your drains and what you put down them. Dirt and soap and debris are unavoidable – but you can make decisions about what else goes down the drain. Here are some additional tips to help prevent your drain from clogging:
- Keep Food, Fat, and Oil Out of Drains (Yes, This Includes Coffee Grounds): The less food waste that gets disposed of down the drain, the better. Fats and oils are especially bad because they will congeal and form blockages.
- Flush with Hot Water Every Two Weeks: Your kitchen sink drain often experiences the benefits of being flushed with hot water, but what about your bathroom drains? Boil an entire kettle or pot of water and pour it down those drains gradually. This will help clear minor blockages.
- Cover Your Bathtub/Shower Drain with a Mesh Screen or Hair Catcher: Unsurprisingly, hair is one of the most common causes of clogs in the bathroom. It’s such a common problem that there are many different products to choose from.
- Avoid Flushing Anything Except Human Waste and Toilet Paper: Products like wet wipes have been gaining popularity. These are generally not flushable and can cause damage to your drain system. Avoid flushing anything down your toilet that isn’t human waste or toilet paper.
We’re Ready to Help!
Got an urgent clogged drain that needs immediate attention? Give RJ Plumbing a call at 360-605-1296 and we’ll fix it for you.
We’re a full-service family owned and operated plumbing contractor here in Clark County WA. We can handle anything and everything in your home, from plumbing fixture repair to repipes.