Unblocking the toilet

Unblocking the toilet

When to Have Your Home's Drains and Pipes Inspected

by Nicholas Chambers

Not every clog in a bathtub drain can be easily addressed with a chemical solution or plumbing snake, and sometimes these methods of treating plumbing problems can actually cause more damage than they do good. For some plumbing issues, it can be good to have the pipes inspected before you try any repairs. This inspection involves a plumbing snake outfitted with a tiny camera designed for use in plumbing pipes. This can tell a plumber exactly what's wrong with your pipes and what needs to be repaired.

If you've never had your home's plumbing pipes inspected, note when you might need to have this done. This will ensure you're not wasting time and money on repairs that don't actually fix a problem and which might actually make thing worse! 

Backup with sediment or mud

If your home's bathtub or toilet backs up or overflows and there is obvious sediment or mud coming up from the pipes, this often means that a pipe outside your home is cracked or damaged. This crack can be letting in mud and dirt, which then flows back into the bathtub or toilet pipes. This is very dangerous to ignore, even if the tub drains or the toilet eventually flushes, as those cracks will typically just get bigger until the pipe eventually bursts. This can lead to flooding in your yard and very expensive repairs.

Persistent clogs

The occasional clogged bathtub drain or toilet is not unusual in a home, and most everyday clogs can be fixed with a good plunger. However, if clogs are persistent, this too can signal cracked pipes outside your home, as mentioned above. When dirt, mud, twigs, tree branches, and other such materials get into those cracks, they can slow down the flow of water so that your tub or toilet consistently clogs. The water might flow slightly so that the clog does go away, but if it happens repeatedly, it's usually a sign of very serious damage to your home's plumbing pipes.

Odors

You should never notice lingering odors coming from the bathtub or any drain in your home; if you do, this usually means you have standing water somewhere in the plumbing, usually the result of cracked pipes. This standing water can lead to algae growth or clogs, making the drains smell like an outdoor pond or raw sewage. Trying to just snake out a drain, thinking you'll force the water through, doesn't repair those cracks. You may soon have more standing water, and more odor, than before.

For more information, contact a business such as Nu-Jet.


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About Me

Unblocking the toilet

If I didn't know better, I'd think my toddler started each day with a challenge to throw something new and different down the toilet. He has managed to put nearly anything can imagine down the toilet. I have gotten pretty good at figuring out what has gone missing down the loo and whether it's something I can fix or something that I need to call the plumber to help me fix it. This blog is for other mums of toddlers who need to get toys out of the toilet and get the toilet back to working condition as soon as possible!