What Happens If Your Floor Drain Stops Working?
Basements can be found in many houses across the country, but people do not always remember to check the floor drains there. Floor drains are common in public areas, but why should people care if their floor drain stops working in their homes? Drain backups are a leading cause of emergencies and after hour plumbing requests.
A floor drain is designed to help collect overflow water from toilets, sinks, baths, and other plumbing in the home. This water is then directed to the storm drain or the sewer system. However, when these drains are clogged, they should be cleaned immediately because they need it.
No one wants to have a drain that does not work because when a drain does not work, people may be left with some serious damages that they don’t want to pay for.
Common Causes and Signs of Floor Drain Clogs
Floor drains become clogged more often than others because they are on the floor, so there is no need to worry. It can sometimes be a simple fix.
Hair, Dirt, and Debris
Most of the time, common household debris will end up in floor drains and clog them. This may be because when people are sweeping, they accidentally let it fall. When this happens, it will lead to more frequent clogs.
Foul Odors
However, when there are foul odors, people should pay more attention. This may be because the P-trap is dry. The P-trap is allowing gross sewer gases to enter the home, which is something no one wants. People should grab a bucket and pour water down the drain to help fill the P-trap back up again.
Normally, two gallons will help, but five gallons is a sure-fire way to stop that smell quickly. Also, when water is added to the drain, people will see whether it is working correctly or not. If it is, there is nothing to worry about, but if it is not, they can fix it.
How Can People Clear Their Floor Drain?
There are many different ways that people can clear their floor drain.
- A plunger is a great tool that people can use. Sometimes, a few strong pumps are needed to push any debris through the system, so it can work again without a problem.
- Baking soda and vinegar is an old trick that people still use. That’s because the mixture can help break down things in the system. People just need to pour some baking soda down the drain and a healthy amount of white vinegar.
- Snaking a drain is another way to get pieces of debris moving or out of the system. These can be found in many stores because they are incredibly useful. However, people should remember to pull the stuff out of the drain with the snake and not push things further down.
Conclusion
Remember to keep floor drains clean by cleaning them every quarter. This will ensure that they are working properly and that everything is healthy. However, if it does become clogged, there is always an easy fix for people, so they can quickly move on with their day. A professional can always be called to help if the job is too tricky.
