Here’s What to do if Your Tub is Backing Up
When people have problems with their shower drain, they usually assume they are dealing with a clogged drain. However, if you’ve noticed water backing up into your tub when you shower, run the sink, or flush the toilet it may be a different problem. When water flows into your tub instead of just not draining, this is usually a sign of a blockage in your main sewer line.
A clogged main sewer line can actually pose a real health threat and should be addressed right away. This is because when a sewer line clogs, wastewater or raw sewage begins to back up into the rest of the household plumbing.
If you do notice water backing up into your tub, stop using the plumbing immediately and call your local plumbing professional. Read on to understand how sewer lines clog and what you can do to unclog a bathroom drain, and prevent it!
The Culprit is Likely a Sewer Line Clog
All of the plumbing in your bathroom drain down your pipes into your sewer. The bathtub and toilet have completely separate pipes until they reach the main sewer line, which is the pipe that takes all of the wastewater away from your house. If there is a clog in this main sewer line, it can back up into all of the pipes that drain into it. This can mean that raw sewage and wastewater can come back up through your tub or other drains.
Sewer line clogs are considered plumbing emergencies because they pose a health risk to you and your family. It is important to call a plumbing professional immediately if this happens. They can perform a video inspection to pinpoint where and what the blockage is so that they can recommend the best and safest solution.
Prevent Clogs By Only Flushing Toilet Paper
The main cause of sewer line clogs is the flushing of materials other than toilet paper. Although there are many products that say they are flushable and biodegradable, this is usually not the case. Even if a product is biodegradable, it takes a long time for it to degrade. This means it can easily get caught in the sewer line and stay there for a long, long time.
Commonly flushed items include:
-
Feminine protection products - Baby wipes
- Facial tissues
- Cosmetic wipes
- Dental floss
- Cotton swabs
- Paper towels
In order to keep your plumbing running smoothly, it is important to never flush anything down the toilet except for toilet paper. This will also keep your toilet from clogging.
Use Hair Traps to Prevent Clogs
Hair is another common cause of sewer line clogs. An easy way to prevent this, and to prevent normal clogs in your shower drain, is to use a hair trap. Hair traps are placed over your tub drain to keep hair from escaping down the pipe. Hair can be tricky because it can tangle and catch onto things very easily.
Once it is mixed with soaps and lotions, it can create quite a nasty clog within your plumbing system. There are many different types of hair traps to fit all different drains and needs. When it comes to preventing clogs in your tub and in your main sewer line, using a hair trap is extremely important!
About Hall’s Plumbing
At Hall's Plumbing, their technicians are the go-to specialists for many homeowners in Woodland, CA, and the surrounding area. Since opening their doors in 1995, they have set out to become the most trustworthy and relied on home service providers in the area. Their technicians are highly trained and skilled in providing comprehensive, detail-oriented service, and fully licensed in the state of California.
