A single clogged drain in Santa Barbara, CA is an annoyance. Sometimes, the clog is a basic one that a sink plunger can remove, or a simple drain snake. Tougher clogs require the work of a professional plumber, not chemical drain cleaners. (We can’t emphasize enough that these bottles of acidic chemicals are both dangerous and ineffective when it comes to drain cleaning. Leave them on the shelf.)
But when more than one drain in a house is clogged, that seems … suspicious. Did they somehow develop the exact same stoppage near their drains at the same time? It sounds unlikely, because it is. Multiple drain clogs are warnings that there are other problems deeper down in the plumbing system that needs plumbers to investigate. Let’s take a look at why you may have this particular trouble in your drains.
Clogged drain vents
What are drain vents? They are pressure release vents designed into plumbing to prevent a buildup of sewer gas between the drains and the sewer line. These are pipes that allow sewer gas an escape path upward to vents on the roof of the house. This helps stop sewer gas from pushing up through the water in the p-trap (the curved section of pipe beneath the drain) and into the house. But these pipes and the vents can become blocked. A bird’s nest over a vent is all it takes. It can also be debris from winds and storms. You should never go onto the top of your house to investigate this—leave it to the professionals.
Dirty sewer line
We offer sewer cleaning services for good reasons: to prevent the line from becoming so dirty that it obstructs the flow of wastewater from your house. Too much obstruction, and the backup in the line will cause clogged sink drains; usually, the lowest drains in the house will be affected first, so when first-floor sinks start to clog, this may be the problem. The solution is an easy one: have us clean the sewer line.
Root infiltration into the sewer line
This is a common problem for homes that have trees and gardens planted on the property around them. Plant roots move naturally toward the warmth and nutrients available from sewer lines, and if the roots are strong enough, they can infiltrate the pipeline and block it. Given time, they can even start to crack it apart. We’re familiar with the problem as plumbers, and have methods to clean out root obstructions. Don’t delay, since we know you don’t want to have a broken sewer line.
Broken sewer line
Yeah, about that … an aging sewer line can burst. It can be from corrosion, from tree roots, from construction, or from earthquakes. Clogged drains will be one of the first symptoms of this, but you’ll also notice soggy, foul-smelling patches on your lawn. You’ll probably need the sewer line replaced, and our team can do this fast and cleanly with our trenchless sewer line replacement services.
At Husted Plumbing, we treat our customers like family! We’re Family owned and operated since 1935. Call us for service in the Greater Santa Barbara and Ventura County Area.