Look Out for These Red Flags of Clogged Plumbing

The modern home depends on plumbing to take away wastewater from sinks, tubs and toilets, as well as washers and dishwashers. When that wastewater doesn’t flow away properly due to clogged plumbing, it becomes a smelly, potentially messy issue.

One common reason for clogged plumbing is a blocked vent. The vents are the vertical pipes that run up through the walls and out the roof of your home. Vents allow air to enter the drainage system, keeping pressures even and allowing the wastewater to flow away quickly and efficiently. This vent can become clogged for a few reasons, including:

• Rodents trapped inside
• Bird nests on top
• An accumulation of leaves blocking the entrance
• A human unknowingly blocked the vent
• Excessive corrosion causing the pipe to collapse

Red Flags of Clogged Plumbing

Here are three red flags that indicate you may have clogged plumbing vents:

• Gurgling, sputtering toilet – When air coming through the vent is inadequate due to blockage or size, the pressures in the plumbing will be higher than the air in the bathroom. When you flush the toilet, the water is fighting the higher pressure and this causes it to gurgle and sputter.
• Slow drain – Higher pressures in the drain pipes prevent water from draining away at a normal rate. When sinks and tubs drain slowly, it may be a sign of that the vent is blocked or undersized or there may be a blockage in the pipe.
• Pungent sewer gas smell – All plumbing drains have a trap in place where water sits to prevent sewer gases from backing up into the house. When pressure in the drains are too high, it can drain all the water out. That leaves nothing to stop the gases from entering the house.

In most cases, leave clearing a blocked vent to the professionals. They have the equipment and ability to find the problem quickly and know how to correct it.

For help with your clogged plumbing, contact Meyer’s. We’ve been proudly serving northwest Indiana and southern Chicagoland since 1951.