How to Locate Drain Clogs
All plumbing fixtures are connected to a series of pipes, which carry gray water to the sewer or septic tank system. As a result there are numerous areas where clogs can develop in the system. It is important to find the location of the clog within your system, and as this dictates which type of drain cleaning will be necessary.
It is important to locate blockages quickly. Since pipes not only carry away sewer water, but also are connected to the vent system, which vents hazardous sewer gases out of your home and through the roof. Here's how to look for the clog:
- Start by checking all fixtures drains on the highest floor of your home. Test the drains of any sinks, tubs and showers by running water through them and flush the toilets.If they are plugged the clog is probably localized with the drain or trap of the fixture and should be removed at that location. However, if the drains are open it's time to move on and continue searching for the elusive clog.
- Go to the next lowest floor. Perform the same steps as before on all sink fixtures and toilets. If a clog is found in several fixtures further investigation is needed. Since, there is a good chance the blockage is located in the same branch line, on which all the fixtures are connected to. Therefore, it will be necessary to remove the clog from this line to remedy the problem. However, again, if all lines are open it's time to go to the lowest floor of the house and the basement if you have one.
- Test all fixtures for the blockage. If these fixtures are clogged it is very likely the entire main line is plugged, and it is probably time to call in a professional plumber to handle the job.