Two Common Causes of Blockages That Often Lead to Similar Problems
Backed up drains can lead to water slowing down, fixtures starting to making gurgling noises, or wastewater appearing where it shouldn't. These issues can also occur, somewhat distressingly, inside your home and it is hard to know in such cases whether the issue is being caused by grease, roots, paper or something like a damaged line.
The difference between a blockage caused by roots in a sewer line and from a grease clog is not an academic distinction, as the cause will necessarily impact on the next steps to be taken to fix the problem. Grease may point towards a kitchen drain needing to be cleaned or hydro jetting, whereas a root problem may point instead towards main-line jetting after a camera inspection. A damaged drain may need a different plan altogether.
The clues below will help Woodstock homeowners to identify the symptoms and understand why a plumber may recommend a camera inspection before deciding on which solution to try.
Grease Usually Starts in the Kitchen
Grease problems often begin with the kitchen. The sink might drain slowly after cooking, it smells unpleasant after a heavy cleanup, or water might even start backing up when the dishwasher discharges. In these cases, the problem may be worse after dinner parties or holidays when there is a heavier amount of water going through the pipes.
A build up of grease of this kind can happen even if no one is intentionally pouring oil down the drain on a regular basis. Instead very small amounts of fat from plates and saucepans go down the drain and then cool inside the pipe. Over time these build up and form a coat around the inside of the pipe.
A clog of this nature can be ‘fixed', in theory, by snaking the pipe, at least for a brief period of time, because this tool will spike a hole through soft material like grease, but if the pipe remains coated then eventually food residue will collect all over again and the slow drainage pattern returns.
Roots and Main-Line Problem
Roots usually become a problem in terms of drainage when they encroach into an underground sewer pipe through a crack or some other vulnerable opening. They follow the moisture that is escaping from the pipe and then, once inside, even a small root can catch paper, waste and other debris as water moves through the pipe.
The symptoms of this kind of blockage often show up beyond a sink inside the house. Toilets may not sound right, or a bathtub or shower may back up when another fixture is used.
Woodstock's wooded areas are exactly the kind of location where roots can intrude like into a pipe system, especially in places like Towne Lake, Eagle Watch and older residential areas near woodland. Moreover, properties near heavily forested areas can have a lot of exterior sewer systems that require closer inspection when water starts backing up regularly.
A Bubbling Toilet Is an Important Clue
If a toilet is bubbling inside the house this is a really good clue about what's happening. This usually occurs when air is displaced in the drain system because wastewater is struggling to get by a restriction of some kind further downstream in the sewer system. It does not conclusively prove that roots have encroached into the pipes, but it does suggest that the issue may be beyond a single blocked sink.
If the toilet bubbles or makes a strong sound when the shower is running, the washer drains or another toilet somewhere else in the house is flushed, tell your plumber exactly when it is happening. Timing helps narrow down the possible source of the problem. For instance, a clog which is occurring at fixture-level requires a different solution to a main-line problem.
If the toilet is bubbling and the drain is backed up in a recurring manner, or there is an odor from the sewer, or wastewater in a tub or shower, stop running any water and schedule a service. Continuing to use water in this situation can push more wastewater towards a lower opening, which is to be avoided.
When Grease and Roots Work Together Against You
Problems with grease and roots are not mutually exclusive. A pipe, for instance, can have roots inside it bits of paper snag against, while a pipe coming out of a kitchen sink might have a build up of grease. The main sewage line can also have residue gathering around where the roots have intruded into the pipes, making the blockage worse over time.
This combination of problems is one reason why drain symptoms can be confusing. The kitchen sink may be draining slowly, but the real source of the problem is actually coming from the bathroom. A toilet may be bubbling, but the line may also contain grease and sludge in the pipes downstream.
When issues like this occur simultaneously, repeating the same method of clearing the pipe can produce the same short-lived results, where the water clears for a while and then the problem returns a few months later. In such a scenario, the plumber needs to understand both the pattern of the symptoms and the visible problems before deciding whether to snake, jet, inspect, or repair.
Why Camera Inspection is Really Useful
In many scenarios a sewer camera is a great option for diagnosing the problem. It can reveal roots, grease, gaps in the pipes, cracks, and many other problems. It also helps prevent a homeowner from treating every backup as the same kind of clog.
If the camera shows that grease is building up along the pipe wall, then hydro jetting may be the best solution. On the other hand, if it shows roots encroaching into the pipes, then jetting will only clear the flow, but the place where the root got in to begin with may need future monitoring or even a full repair.
Using a camera gives the homeowner a very clear idea of why the drain is backing up and what is likely to happen if only the immediate obstruction is cleared without treating the underlying problem.
How Hydro Jetting Can Fit Each Scenario
Hydro jetting is multi-purpose. For grease it can clean the interior of the pipe more thoroughly than a tool like snake or a rod that only punches through the center of the clog. For roots, hydro jetting can clear away the smaller roots in many sewer lines. However, we should caution that root removal from the pipe does not permanently repair the opening where the roots have entered, so, as mentioned above, the line may still need repair work, or excavation depending on what the camera shows.
For structural issues, hydro jetting is not a repair, but it can buy you time. A collapsed pipe or a pipe where sections have separated requires a different solution again. Cleaning can be part of the process in these cases, but it should not be mistaken for being a permanent solution.
What Woodstock Homeowners Should Look For
Before you call a plumber, pay attention to and note which fixtures are running slowly and which fixtures are affected right now. If the issue is only in the kitchen, then that tends to point in one direction. Multiple affected fixtures point in another direction. A toilet that is bubbling when other water systems are in use is an especially good clue.
Think about the timing. For instance, ask yourself if the water is backing up after showering or doing a lot of laundry? Or perhaps it comes after rain heavy bouts of rain? Timing like this might not reveal everything, but it gives us some clues as to what's causing the blockage.
You should also mention to your plumber about any past service work you've had carried out. If snaking the pipe helped in the past, but then the water started backing up again before too long, this can give the plumber a good idea of what the overall problem might be. The next time you call someone out can be more productive if you start by identifying what the previous pattern of blockages was instead of starting from scratch.
A Practical Next Step
The best way to proceed is to presume that recurring backups need to be dealt with by finding a more permanent solution. Grease, roots, paper and so forth can all create similar kinds of blockages on the surface, so picking the right tool to solve the problem depends on what is actually happening inside the line, away from what you can see with the naked eye.
Plumb N Plumber provides drain cleaning, hydro-jetting, sewer camera inspection, excavation, and related plumbing services in Woodstock, Cherokee County, and the wider north Atlanta area. If you are trying to understand whether your pipes are backing up and are blocked because of roots in the sewer line or because of grease, schedule a service with us or call us on (678) 725-0042 for a practical evaluation.
