There are many things that cause a main line to back up. Some of those could be a belly in the line, roots, bad glue joints, burrs from a cut pipe, no fall in the line, or foreign objects in pipe.
What is a belly in the line?
A belly is any lower portion of a drain line that holds small or large amounts of sewage. This will cause any solid that hits the belly to slow down or stop causing a stoppage or slow drain.
How do roots cause a main line back up?
Roots get in the pipe at any connection point. As the root grows inside the pipe they will begin to catch solid objects and hold back the proper flow of the drain.
How can bad glue joints effect my sewer line?
A bad glue joint results in a poor connection for the pipe. This poor connection leaves room for roots to grow, cracks to form, or if the pipe separates- accumulation of solids.
What is a burr?
A burr is any unsmooth area of cut pipe. This jagged edge can grab onto toilet tissue and other solids to prevent them and things behind them from moving down drain line.
What does proper fall in the line mean?
Proper fall means when a level is placed on the pipe there should be a 1/4” to 1/8” fall on 4” and 3” pipes and 1/4” fall on 2” pipes angled down until the city connection point. If this proper fall does not exist you can have backups from improper flow.
What foreign objects should not go down the drain?
Anything beyond human waste, toilet tissue, and the small scraps you put in your garbage disposal.
See these two links for more explanation of why check out these other blogs below.
What can you flush down the toilet and what should you flush are two very different questions with very different answers.
Toilets are built to flush anything that will fit down them, which is an amazing feature! Some toilet manufactures even boast that their toilets can flush golf balls and other odd objects. But, we should be focused on what the drain lines of your home can handle instead of what the toilet can.
Most residential drain lines in the Houston region are 3 or 4 inch pipes. When you consider what is being pushed through a hole of this size if puts things in perspective. When we discuss what should or shouldn’t be flushed our main thought is how will that item do in the drain lines, will it do as it should or could that cause a clog or blockage?
Blockages and drain line issues can be some of the most expensive plumbing repairs needed in a home, and as a homeowner its best to equip yourself with the knowledge to avoid these when possible.
Here is a cute video or owner, Jerrys, grandchildren demonstrating what not to do.
Below are a few of the samples we have seen in the past.
Can you flush DENTAL FLOSS down the toilet?
As convenient as this would be, it can wrap around other items that have been flushed and create large masses in your drain lines that aren’t easily made to go all the way to sewer.
Can you flush DIAPERS down the toilet?
Diapers are very absorbent and can cause a blockage very quickly if flushed down the toilet. It is more common than you might think especially in a commercial environment, but they do not break down and are much thicker and sturdier than toilet paper.
Can you flush COTTON BALLS/ COTTON SWABS down the toilet?
When flushed these items do not break down like toilet paper is designed to, they can clump together and attach to other flushed items, they can also collect in corners of pipes and cause issues for drainage.
Can you flush BABY WIPES down the toilet?
Even though most packaging states they are flushable we advise not flushing them! They do not break down and will cause a clog.
Can you flush CAT LITTER down the toilet?
Cat litter has sand and clay that will clog pipes. Even the fancy stuff is never recommended to be flushed.
Can you flush PAPER TOWELS down the toilet?
Flushing paper towels down is not recommended, they are not built like toilet tissue and do not break down in drains.
Can you flush BANDAIDS down the toilet?
This is not recommended because they are sticky, and they are plastic. They will stick to the walls of the drain line or attach to other debris causing blockages.
Can you flush TAMPONS down the toilet?
It is not recommended. We have seen time after time a build up in drains due to this product being flushed, the plastic portion as well as the cotton portion WILL cause problems. It is best to always dispose of any feminine hygiene product in the trash.
What CAN I flush down the toilet?
Human waste and toilet paper are the ONLY things we recommend flushing down the toilet. All homes should be well suited to handle these things. Should you find yourself in a situation where this is not the case, please call a plumber to camera your drain lines, a properly plumbed home should be able to tackle this. Any other found object you can think of should not be flushed down the toilet.
Are you finding yourself in a clogged drain situation because you found this page too late? No problem, Click below to learn more about our drain cleaning services.
Garbage disposals are made for the small scraps left on your plate after eating, nothing more. Too often we try to push the limits on these devices and customers find themselves with unwanted clogs or jammed disposals hindering the daily chore of dishes.
What isn’t allowed in disposal? Find a short list of the things we’ve come across over the years causing issues for customers. Its not always about what can the garbage disposal handle, sometimes we have to consider if the drain line can carry it to sewer properly once the disposal has broken it down.
What should not be put in garbage disposal?
Lemon peels
-They get caught in the sides of the blades, and oftentimes won’t go down drain.
Potato peels/ banana peel
-These peels don’t chop up very well and can create a mush that is hard to drain.
Pasta, oatmeal, rice
-Items like these are sticky and expand in pipe causing drainage issues.
Childs toy/Non-Food items
-We’ve seen someone try to get rid of a toy without throwing it away in the trash, garbage disposal is never the answer.
-As a rule of thumb, foreign objects should never be put down the drain.
Egg shells
-They don’t go anywhere they just float in your kitchen drain, even if you use a jet machine to forcefully remove the shells the are moved around then settle back in the drain line and can cause build up in the line over the years.
Small bones
-This will cause the garbage disposal to jam up and stop working
Stringy foods or vegetables/ flower stems
-Excessive celery string can get wrapped up in the blade of a garbage disposal- a corn husk will not do well either for the same reason.
-Additionally the stems of roses will attempt to be shredded by the garbage disposal and become sectioned off into stings causing the same effect.
Grease-Oil-Fat
-You don’t put these down any drain- not even a toilet. These items get stuck to the pipe, and make the diameter of the pipe smaller- which doesn’t allow for proper flow.
-Can I put hot grease down if I run the hot water with it?
-No, any amount of grease will cause a clog over time, even the smallest amount.
Fish tank rocks
-Cleaning a fish bowl in kitchen can lead to a jam if the small rocks get down the drain
Holiday leftovers
-These large amounts of food should be thrown out- never put down garbage disposal.
TIP: Always run water when turning on the garbage disposal!
