clogged Archives - Super Plumbers

Common Signs of a Clogged Drain or Sewer Line

How to Identify a Clog and the Need for Drain Cleaning

Noticing the signs of a blockage within a home's drainage or sewer system is essential. Timely action prevents issues from developing into more significant, costly emergencies that might require extensive sewer line repair rather than routine drain cleaning. The following are signs that indicate a drain or sewer line clog that requires professional drain cleaning service.

Gurgling Noises or a Bad Smell

Unusual sounds, such as gurgling or bubbling, coming from the home’s sinks, tubs, or toilet drains often indicate a clogged drain line or sewer line. These noises are caused by air being trapped and forced up through the water column as wastewater struggles to navigate past an obstruction. Similarly, a persistent, unpleasant smell wafting up from drains can indicate a clog, caused by decomposing waste materials accumulating in the pipes.

If these symptoms are observed across multiple drains in the house, it strongly suggests a clog in the sewer line. Conversely, if the gurgling noise or foul odor is isolated to a single drain, the obstruction is likely confined to that fixture's specific drain line. In either scenario, calling for professional drain cleaning services is the recommended step to remove the blockage, restore smooth drainage, and safeguard against further complications.

Slow Draining

A noticeable deceleration in water drainage speed is another sign of an existing or developing pipe obstruction. This slow drainage can lead to water pooling around the feet during a shower or lingering in the kitchen sink long after dishwashing is done, and it is a sign of an underlying problem.

When all or most drains in the residence empty slowly, the issue is typically a clogged sewer line. However, if only one drain is affected, the obstruction is usually nearer, confined to that drain's specific piping. Common culprits for localized drain clogs include hair and soap residue in bathroom drains, or solidified grease and food debris in kitchen sink drains. Ignoring slow drainage allows the obstruction to worsen, eventually leading to standing water that won’t drain or a backup. Scheduling professional drain cleaning can prevent the significant inconvenience and mess associated with a backup.

Backups

One of the most disruptive indications of a severe blockage is the backing up of wastewater through a drain opening or toilet. When a substantial obstruction forms inside a pipe, the wastewater has no clear path forward and is forced to reverse course, exiting at the nearest available point, such as household drains and toilets.

As with other clog symptoms, if backup occurs in only one drain, the obstruction may be in that drain line. However, sometimes water backing up from a single drain might indicate it is the lowest point in the home's plumbing, making it the first spot affected. When the sewer line is clogged, it commonly results in multiple backups throughout the property.

Upon observing any signs of a sewer line or drain line clog, homeowners should immediately contact a professional for drain cleaning. A plumber uses specialized tools and equipment to safely locate and remove the obstruction, restoring full system performance and preventing the problem from escalating.

About Super Plumbers

Super Plumbers is a local, family-owned and operated company providing plumbing services to Tyler and the surrounding areas. They offer competitive, upfront pricing, high-quality service, and a 100% satisfaction guarantee. Call them for professional drain cleaning services in Tyler, TX.

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Tips for Avoiding Clogged Toilets

Why Does the Toilet Keep Clogging?

Toilets and their associated plumbing are capable of dealing with the messes that are put in them daily without clogging. However, this is not the experience of most people. Most people will experience a toilet clog, and some may even have a toilet that clogs often. For those who have to deal with clogged toilets, the problem may be caused by user error. Here are some tips to prevent toilet clogs and sewer line clogs.

Be Mindful of What Gets Flushed

One of the worst habits to get into when living in a home is using the toilet like a trash can. Too often, people simply discard small trash in the basin and flush it away. The problem is toilets were not intended for this purpose, and various types of waste will contribute to sewer line clogs and toilet clogs. Be mindful of what gets flushed to make toilets more reliable and less likely to clog.

Aim to flush only toilet paper and human waste. Anything else is likely to cause problems. Even if it doesn’t clog the toilet immediately, it can lead to clogs in the sewer line. Always provide wastebaskets near toilets for disposing of tissues, paper towels, wipes, cotton balls or swabs, hygiene products, and more.

Use Less Toilet Paper or Flush More Often if Needed

Toilet clogs are far less likely if the first tip is followed. However, they can still happen if people insist on trying to flush too much toilet paper down the toilet at once. For reliable flushing and preventing clogs, a toilet has to be able to break up the mass of toilet paper as it flushes.

When too much is flushed at once, it can clog the toilet or sewer lines. Avoiding this problem can be done by flushing less toilet paper, or if more toilet paper is needed, flushing the toilet multiple times and sending smaller amounts of toilet paper down the toilet at a time will help ensure the toilet and sewer lines are able to handle it.

Make an Effort to Prevent Sewer Line Clogs

One thing that is often overlooked is that a clogged sewer line could be contributing to clogged toilets. As a clog forms in the sewer line, the toilets nearby won’t be allowed to fully flush. When signs of a sewer line clog are noticed, a plumber should be called for drain cleaning to unclog the line.

Besides the tips previously mentioned, homeowners should follow other good drain habits to help prevent sewer line clogs. These include things like:

Discarding food scraps in the trash rather than the drains
Never pour grease or cooking oil into the drains
Use mesh screens or hair catchers in shower and tub drains
Avoid planting trees near buried sewer lines

By following these tips, homeowners can help protect their sewer line and prevent toilet clogs.

About Super Plumbers

Super Plumbers is a family-owned and operated company serving the Tyler, TX, area. They offer competitive, flat-rate pricing and a 100% satisfaction guarantee. Call them for clogged toilet repair service in Tyler, TX.

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When Is the Sewer Line Clogged?

Signs To Call for Sewer Line Cleaning

The drains and sewer lines in the home carry away a wide variety of waste. The effluent can include anything from food scraps in the kitchen to solid human waste, and the sewer system has to accommodate each type. Over time, the sheer variety of things that pass through the sewer system can cause the velocity of the effluent to slow down, leading to a clog.

Knowing the signs of sewer line clogs and how to respond can prevent homeowners from dealing with nasty messes. Here are three signs of clogged sewer lines and some advice about dealing with them.

Loud Gurgling Noises

When people think of water draining out of a basin or stool, the first thing that comes to mind is the sound. One of the things that most people don’t realize is that this is a sign of an impending clog.

When drains are installed and the pipes are clean, they shouldn’t make much noise. Likewise, the only sound a toilet will make is the sloshing noise as wastewater drains. When drains start to become noisy, there is a certain amount of blockage in the line.

In many cases, minor blockages can exist nearly indefinitely without clogging. However, for homeowners looking to avoid dealing with nasty clogs, noisy draining is a sign that they should consider drain cleaning.

If many home drains are noisy, the problem might be deeper in the sewer line. Routine drain and sewer line cleaning can be integral to avoiding plumbing problems.

Wastewater Backs Up

Drain clogs have a nasty habit of slowly getting worse. As the inside of drain and sewer pipes start to get fouled with scum and grease, the speed at which water flows through the pipes drops, causing more debris to get caught on the sticky walls, slowing wastewater down even more.

The culmination of this problem is when the speed of the water drops to zero, and the sewage has nowhere to go. The only option is for it to go backward, back into the home.

Sewage backups are fairly obvious. When homeowners notice a mass of nasty water filling first-floor tubs or flowing out of toilets, it's hard to miss. However, depending on the design of the system, sewage may back up into fixtures and slowly drain away.

If the owner doesn’t see the standing water, the evidence left behind, namely the ring of stinky residue left in the basin, will confirm a sewage backup.

Slow Draining

Before the drain stops flowing entirely, it usually drains slowly. This sign should be a reminder to the owner that routine drain and sewer line cleaning needs to be done soon. If a single drain is draining slowly, homeowners can try some DIY drain cleaning tips to remove blockages.

If the problem is evident in multiple drains and toilets, the problem is likely in the sewer line and will need professional intervention. Plumbers can use a drain snake or hydrojet the sewer line to remove blockages and restore the system to speedy draining in a matter of minutes.

About Super Plumbers

Super Plumbers have the tools necessary to handle sewer and drain problems for home and business owners. They respond quickly to problems and handle everything with honest, upfront pricing. Call today for plumbing service in Tyler, TX.

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Three Ways to Prevent Clogged Toilets

Reasons Why the Toilet Keeps Clogging

There’s nothing worse than a clogged toilet. At first, one may try flushing it one more time–hoping the problem will fix itself. However, once the water starts rising, there’s no getting around it: there’s likely a clog preventing waste from leaving the system.

The bad habits of homeowners cause most toilet clogs, so clogged and overflowing toilets can be avoided by practicing better habits. As long as homeowners follow a few simple practices, they can prevent these problems from happening. Not only would this reduce stress and inconvenience, but it could also prevent serious plumbing problems in the long run.

Only Flush Toilet Paper and Waste Down the Toilet

For many people, flushing something down the toilet is “out of sight, out of mind.” After all, once an item leaves the bowl, does it matter where it goes? Of course, it does! Clogs can build up deep within the home’s sewer main, leading to leaks, burst pipes, and the dreaded overflowing clogged toilet.

The only things that should be flushed down a toilet are human waste and toilet paper. In 2019, KYTX reported on plumbing systems in Tyler, Texas, noting that homeowners should refrain from flushing:

Feminine hygiene items
Diapers and baby wipes (even wipes that claim to be “flushable”)
Condoms
Cigarette butts
Paper towels
Napkins
Food residue

Toilets are engineered to break down toilet paper and waste. The other items, however, do not break down easily in the plumbing system. Over time, they can lead to a huge toilet or sewer line clog that can cause extensive damage.

Consider Toilet Paper Usage

Even though toilet paper can be flushed, it doesn’t mean that toilet paper usage habits can’t cause clogged toilets too. Flushing too much at once is a common cause of toilet clogs. To prevent clogs from toilet paper, people can use less toilet paper or flush more than once during the process so that all the toilet paper used isn’t flushed at once.

Homeowners can also install bidets to use less toilet paper. Popular in European countries, bidets release streams of water using a nozzle to clean one’s behind. Still, most turn to toilet paper to get the job done, so homeowners should also avoid folding toilet paper before flushing it to prevent clogs.

Be Mindful of Sewer Line Clogs

The most important part of the toilet is hidden from the naked eye. It’s the sewer main. This is where waste goes when one flushes it. When there’s a clog in this system, water won’t drain properly from sinks, showers, and toilets. So if the toilet is frequently clogged, it may be due to a clog in the sewer line.

Homeowners can help prevent sewer line clogs by:

Disposing of fats, cooking oil, and grease in the garbage and not down any drains
Throwing away hair from the shower drain instead of letting it go down the drain
Regularly cleaning the home’s drains
Preventing soap scum from building up around drains

Homeowners with frequent toilet clogs should turn to a professional plumber for help. Any DIY measures could cause more harm than good.

About Super Plumbers

Super Plumbers is a local family-owned and operated company serving its neighbors in Tyler, TX, and the surrounding areas. They offer upfront pricing, personalized service, and 24/7 emergency repairs. Call them today for a clogged toilet repair in Tyler, TX.

The Only Clogged Toilet Facts You Will Ever Need to Know

Dealing with a Clogged Toilet is a Hassle

Tired of dealing with clogged toilets? In this article, an overview is given of the only clogged toilet fact you will ever need to know to prevent and fix clogged toilets. Imagine never having to deal with the hassle of a clogged toilet ever again. Clogged toilets can be messy, smelly, and embarrassing.

This article shares all the secrets to never having a clogged toilet ever again. Preventing and fixing clogged toilets does not have to be difficult, and with the tips in this article you can avoid ever having a clogged toilet in the future.

Why Are Your Toilets Clogging?

If too much paper is being flushed down the toilet, this could be causing a clogged toilet. Using less tissue paper or switching to a less dense brand can help to prevent clogs. Children often use too much toilet paper so this is something to look out for.

Anything other than toilet tissue should not be flushed down the toilet or it can cause a clog. It can be tempting to use the toilet as a wastebasket, but that is what the trash can is for and flushing the wrong item down the toilet can clog it up and even break it eventually.

If the clog is not caused by something that is lodged in the toilet such as toilet paper or build-up, there could be a more serious problem. If the problem is with the main water line the help of a professional plumber may be needed to prevent further damage.

Tips for Fixing Clogged Toilets

Plumbers use the following techniques to unclog a toilet. Plungers can be found in most homes and can be an effective way to dislodge clogs using pressure. Baking soda and vinegar have a chemical reaction that is handy for unclogging toilets and is a non-toxic alternative to using liquid plumbing products.

Soap and water can also be used to unclog a toilet. The anti-grease properties of dish soap can cut through and dissolve the particles clogging the toilet and hot water will help to loosen them up further. Sometimes letting the toilet soak with warm soapy water is enough to dislodge the clog. If all else fails, there is nothing wrong with calling the plumber as a good local plumber can fix a simple clog quickly and for an affordable price.

Tips for Preventing Clogged Toilets

Make sure that everyone in the house knows that they should only be flushing toilet paper down the toilet. Switching toilet paper brands can sometimes help cut back on the number of accidental clogs. Never flush anything down the toilet other than bath tissue.

Perform regular cleaning and maintenance on the toilet to prevent build-up from dirt, minerals, and soap. There are also additives that can be put in the water to keep the toilet cleaner for longer and to prevent toilet clogs. Chemical drain cleaners can be dangerous so do not be tempted to use them when the toilet gets clogged. Regular maintenance on the toilet will keep it running in top shape.

Superior Plumbing Services

Super Plumbers provide trustworthy plumbing services in Tyler, TX and the surrounding areas. For plumbing emergencies, Super Plumbers are a dependable team of craftsmen. They can respond 24/7 to plumbing and home repair house calls. Satisfaction is guaranteed from the services provided by Super Plumbers.