Homeowner's Guide to Slow Drains and Partial Clogs

If you're a new homeowner, you may find the variety of things that can go wrong with your plumbing a bit overwhelming. Even if your drains still drain, for instance, they could be partially clogged and work more slowly.

Discover what you need to know about slow-running, partially clogged drains.

They aren't a plumbing emergency, but partial clogs can be surprisingly insidious. One obvious reason why you'll want to dispense with partial clogs is because they can prevent your drains from operating at full efficiency, so the sink could take longer to drain. In addition, buildup in the drain can smell, attract bugs, and even develop into a complete drain blockage later.

The basic symptoms of a partial clog include slower draining, unpleasant drain smells, and maybe a gurgling sound. If you're unsure whether your drain has slowed down, try timing how long it takes to drain a specific amount of water (such as half a sink full). You can compare this against a similar size drain, or time the same drain again next week and compare.

If multiple drains act up at once, you may have a different problem with lookalike symptoms. A plumbing vent blockage, for instance, can cause drain smells and gurgling, in addition to slower draining than normal. So if you have widespread drain problems, call a plumber.

You may have heard baking soda and vinegar can be a home remedy for clogged drains. However, this remedy is controversial and is less likely to work for a partial clog. Even if the fizzy mixture could expand to force a blockage out of the way, a partial clog will still allow some drainage, preventing the buildup of pressure that would allow this function.

A combination of washing soda and hot water poured down your drain may help to dissolve a layer of grease. But, depending on the size of the partial clog in your drain, this may or may not solve your issue. If you have a large buildup of grease, for instance, the degreaser may only remove the surface layer and leave the rest of the buildup intact.

A clog can get started easily in an extra-narrow spot, kink, or another less-uniform area of the pipe's interior. One built-in spot that fits this description is the drain's p-trap. This trap area is designed to keep sewer gases out of your house, but it does present a more easily clogged spot because of its shape.

If you've tried a couple of things and the problem persists, or if you've tracked it over a few weeks and it's definitely getting worse, you'll need to bring in a professional plumber. Professional plumbing skills and tools can ensure that the problem is removed at the root. A professional plumber can also help you find out why the problem started in the first place.

Avoiding a future problem with partial or full clogs will include commonsense preventive measures (like putting grease into the trash rather than the drain) but also more targeted ones if your plumbing has special circumstances. For instance, if the problem was kick-started by hard water buildup, a water softener may help you avoid problems in future.

In addition, a regular drain degreasing habit (such as cleaning the drain with washing soda weekly) may help to keep buildup from going critical next time. Talk to your plumber about any special circumstances you may have, such as iron in your water, soap scum issues, or tree roots in the drains. These situations may require remediation to avoid future problems.

These tips and basics of partially clogged drains can help you to navigate that confusing time when you think your drain is acting odd, but it hasn't actually stopped draining yet. For more information on professional drain cleaning, troubleshooting, and diagnosis, as well as other plumbing services, contact Roto-Rooter Sewer-Drain Service today.