All Drains Are Not Made the Same

A drain’s a drain, they’re all the same…right? Wrong.

Your home might have more than a handful of drains—kitchen sink, bathroom sink, shower, dishwasher, clothes washer, etc. But you only have one main drain.

There are two different types of drains in your home. Have we confused you yet?

Think of it this way: Your house is basically set up like a tree–one main trunk line that runs out of the house. Then you have all these small branches that are under the house that feed into it.

The main drain is also called a sewer drain. It’s the drain that connects your house to the municipal sewer outside of your home. If you have a clog in one of the small drains (i.e., the bathroom sink), the clog and problem is isolated to that fixture. However, if you have a clog in the main drain line, any water you run in the house will cause problems. You’ll see this is an issue when the toilet bubbles into the bathtub or shower. A clog in the sewer line could lead to raw sewage coming back out of the drains.

Because of this, a clog in the main drain line is a serious problem, and it’s time to call the expert plumbers at Michael’s Plumbing to the rescue.

Signs of a Main Drain Clog

• Multiple Fixtures are Clogged at Once – When more than one pluming fixture backs up, most likely toilets, noise is one of the most obvious signs
• Gurgling Noises – If it sounds like your house is using mouth rinse after a load of laundry finishes in the clothes washer (gurgling noises) 

Causes of a Main Drain Clog

• Tree roots – Especially seen in older homes, broken down drains will have tree roots growing into them.
• Improper Paper Products – Feminine hygiene products, paper towels, baby wipes or even thicker types of toilet paper tend to clog drains, especially in newer homes
• Improper Use of Garbage Disposal – Pouring down grease or fat that will harden in the drain and create debris, or dumping large amounts of food into the garbage disposal 

Call A Plumber

A main drain, or sewer drain, clog isn’t a matter to be taken lightly and shouldn’t be a do-it-yourself fix. Calling a professional plumber like Michael’s Plumbing will allow the technician to perform a video inspection of your sewer line to see exactly what is causing the problem and then prescribe an appropriate, and safe, solution for your pipes.

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