Halloween is just around the corner. That means pumpkins, costumes, tricks, treats, and a scary story or two. In the spirit (see what we did there?) of the season, we thought we’d share our own terrifying tales…about clogged drains. The most chilling part? They’re 100% true.
At Maplewood Plumbing, we’ve seen our share of clogged drains, burst pipes, and backed-up plumbing. Take a glimpse at our top six real-life clogged drain stories—they just might scare you into taking better care of your pipes.
Clogged Drain Tale #6: A Hairy Situation
Shower, bathtub, and sink drains get clogged up with hair, soap, shampoo, toothpaste, and other substances, and overtime these products can build up in your home’s pipes. That’s when you start noticing slow drains and water backing up in your drains. One of our techs arrived for a service call and used a cable to pull out the clog—a four-plus foot length of hair. Wait too long, and you could have enough hair in your pipes to rescue Rapunzel from her tower.
Clogged Drain Tale #5: Debris, multiplied
Sewer blockages happen all the time. It’s no secret that all types of debris can lodge itself inside your plumbing, and while there are things you can do to prevent the most common culprits from causing trouble, there are certain circumstances you simply don’t have control over unless you schedule routine preventive maintenance. This homeowner’s plumbing was blocked with roots and debris that had to be cabled, putting a halt to his home’s normal routine and adding an unplanned service fee to his monthly costs.
Clogged Drain Tale #4: It’s Coming from Inside the Vent…
The plumbing vent that opens to your yard allows gases to escape slowly to keep pressure down in your pipes. A clogged plumbing vent can cause strong, unpleasant odors in your yard. In one such home, our crew pulled out more than its fair share of debris from the plumbing vent in the homeowner’s front yard. As you can see, quite a bit of trash was blocking the vent. Regular maintenance of your home’s pipes can minimize the chances of a clogged vent.
Clogged Drain Tale #3: Scary Scales
Before the mid-1970s, sewer lines in homes were primarily made from cast iron. This doesn’t necessarily mean you automatically have a problem. In fact, with careful usage and regular maintenance, cast iron pipes have a shelf life of more than 50 years. But the reason home builders got away from using cast iron is because over time, the pipes corrode. In fact, by the time a cast iron pipe is about 30 years old, 25% of it can be filled with corrosion deposits, also called scaling. This can reduce the flow rate of the pipe, and eventually lead to a clogged drain. The typical method used to correct this problem is jetting.
Clogged Drain Tale #2: Creature Discomforts
Believe it or not, critters can sometimes find their way into a home’s pipes. Small cracks or holes in a drain pipe can be accessed by snakes, mice, snakes, and other creatures that burrow down in your yard near where your drain pipes are buried. We’ve seen our fair share of this—in one case finding a rabbit that had been trapped inside a pipe. In another, our technician responded to a clogged pipe in a home. Each time he stuck the camera down to auger the pipe, a mouse jumped out! Installing a screen on the end of your drain pipe, and regular maintenance of your home’s plumbing can minimize the chance of critters causing problems.
Clogged Drain Tale #1: Frightening Finds
While this particular scary drain cleaning story isn’t about creepy crawlers or spooky sounds, it does prove how important it is to hire a contractor you can trust. In this case, our technician found a 3’7” length of wood stuck in a drain pipe. It had been left by a contractor during a remodel years before, and over time, caused a huge back up. Our crew had to cut into the pipe to pull it out! If you’re planning a kitchen, bathroom, laundry room or other home remodeling project, it pays to hire an experienced contractor who comes highly recommended. And be sure to hire a licensed, professional plumber to handle all of the plumbing needs in your new space.
Want to avoid scary situations in your home’s pipes? Click here or call 314-310-4245 to schedule your routine drain cleaning now and save $20.
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