Having standing water in your sinks is a troublesome process as well, as it can be unhealthy. The standing water could bring a foul odor and even cause disease by producing bacteria. Therefore, it is necessary to ensure that water flows steadily to maintain a healthy & clean environment. Whether you have standing water during a shower or a clogged sink in the kitchen, it is time to investigate the situation. Clogging should be dealt with immediately since it can bring problems. How to clear a clogged drain with standing water shower
The Common Causes Of Household Clogs
1.) Oil, fat, and grease
Most of us pour small amounts of food particles into the kitchen drain every day. No doubt these particles are harmless, but when they begin to coat the walls of the pipe with other debris, they can cause tough clogs. The smoothest way to prevent this issue is to collect all your daily food waste into the dustbin and dispose along with your household trash.
2.) Wipes
This is the concerning cause of stubborn clogs. If you flush out the makeup wipes, cleaning, and baby wipes into the toilet and flush it out, stop doing these now. Most of the wipes don’t dissolve with water and form stubborn clogs inside the drain pipes, sewer lines, toilets, etc.
3.) Food scraps
Are you draining large amounts of food scraps down the drain? If yes, stop it! Most of the household garbage disposals can handle a small amount of food particles. Some of the common food wastages are eggshells, rice, coffee grounds, seeds of fruits, etc. To get rid of this, you can consider composting huge food scraps rather than wasting them in the trash. We’ll further discuss How to unclog a bathroom sink with standing water in a brief.
4.) Hair
This is a common problem in everyone’s life. Human hair and pet hair is the biggest reason for clogging. Hair can cause clogs by binding with sticky substances like grease. So, how to clear a clogged drain with a standing water shower? To get rid of this condition, you can install drain covers in bathtubs and showers. It helps to keep the hair from going down. If you have pets, you can bathe them outside if possible.
5.) Soap
Do you know soap contains animal fats? When these fats mix with the minerals and water develop, soap scum. It is tough to remove the excessive amount of soap scum from the bathroom surface, and if you leave it as it is, then it creates a clog. If your bar soap is leaving visible marks, consider switching it to another dishwasher or liquid soap.
6.) Mineral buildup
If the water supplies to your home are hard, then mineral deposit is the common issue. Water hardness describes the amount of minerals it has, for example, magnesium, calcium, and other naturally occurring materials. If you want to eliminate the mineral deposits, then use hydrojetting. Installing the water softener system prevents hard water issues.
7.) Objects
Do you have children at your home? Anyone who has a kid in their home likely has a chance to drop a toy in the toilet. Whether the object is small still it can get caught in the pipe’s U bend. The following objects can cause an obstruction and lead to a serious clog. To prevent this thing, install the drain cover to protect the showers, sinks, and bathtub drains.
8.) Flushing trash
Unfortunately, some people use their toilets like trash cans. Don’t flush your diapers, dental floss, paper towels, feminine hygiene products, dental floss and other trash. These are only used for flushing human waste and the amount of toilet paper. You can keep the trash box next to your toilet to dispose of the trash easily.
9.) Tree roots
If you have more than one clogged drain simultaneously, that means there is a clog somewhere inside the sewer line. Tree roots are a common cause of clogs in underground pipes. Roots can grow in the small leaks & cracks in the sewer line. When the root grows inside the pipe, it causes a complete blockage.
The best solution to recover from this condition is to use a hydrojet. In Hydro Jet plumbing solutions the high-pressure water jets are used to break the blockages. To carry out this process, book a plumber near your home. Professional plumbers undergo regular training, and they better know how to handle a specific project. Call us now at Fairfax: +1 (703)-250-4200 , Arlington: +1 (703)-524-1250 or schedule your appointment now.
Baumbach Plumbing & Remodeling, LLC is a certified master plumber serving residential clients in Northern Virginia. Since 1928, Baumbach Plumbing & Remodeling has been providing superior plumbing and bathroom remodeling services to homeowners as a family-owned and operated business. Click on Learn More to learn more about our company.
Defining the Top-notch Ways to Unclog Your Drain with Standing Water
Put on the rubber gloves first on your hand and try the below steps to clear a clogged drain with standing water.
1.) Eliminate the clog by hand
Do you encounter the clog in your drain easily? Is it visible near the surface where your hand can easily access it? Put on a pair of gloves and extract the clog with your hand. You can also use a wire coat hanger as an alternative. Pick out all the debris that blocks your drain; it can be soap, scum, hair, etc. By unblocking all this debris, you can fix the standing water problem.
2.) Use drain snake
Have you heard about this before? A drain snake, also known as a plumber’s snake, is a plumbing tool. This tool is retractable and can flexibly reach the areas. Purchase this tool from your nearest hardware store and send the metal side of this tool down to your drain. It will either break or pull out the stuff which causes clogging. You can also purchase the disposable plastic versions of drain snakes where no cranking is required. It can also be used to unclog the toilet. Remember to clean this tool well after each use.
3.) Use Plunger
Plungers are an effective solution for clogged kitchen sinks and clogged toilets. For effective results, use a cup-style plunger that completely covers the drain and creates a tight seal. Give 6 even up & down thrusts to keep the seal intact. Now remove the plunger, and if the water drains away, then you get success; otherwise, repeat the process. This is how you can clear a clogged drain with a standing water shower.
4.) Use boiling water
If you can’t spot what exactly is blocking your drain and you already got unsuccessful results with the drain snake, then the last hope is to use boiling water. Boiling water helps to dissolve the clog, which is caused due to soap scum, cooking grease, etc. Repeat the step multiple times for faster results.
5.) Use natural drain cleaner
Conventional drain cleaners don’t work as effectively as they claim. Want to know how to unclog a drain with standing water naturally? You can use a natural remedy by mixing the baking soda with white distilled water. Prepare the solution based on the state of the clog. To prepare a mixture all you need is a cup of baking soda with 1 cup of vinegar. Pour it into the drain using a rag, and let the mixture begin the magic. Rinse it with boiling water and repeat the process.
6.) Clean & remove the drain trap
You can also use suction to clear the bathroom sink. Use the wet, dry vacuum to unclog the stubborn bathroom sink. It may keep your sink up. Sometimes may be located in the drain trap, which is also known as U-pipe. The drain trap is located below the garbage disposal underneath your sink.
Clean the area & place the bucket below the U-pipe to catch any runoff. Use the Plumber’s wrench to loosen the nuts on both sides of the pipe by holding it with the other hand. Empty the pipe and see if there is any clog. Clean and reattach the U-Pipe once you are done.
7.) Check the garbage disposal
If your sink has a garbage disposal, then it could be the reason for drainage issues. If the clog is in the disposal then turning it on will break the blockage. Dysfunctional & overheated disposals may not even turn on, but it can activate the reset switch at the side & bottom of the unit for a smooth reboot. Reset the disposal and turn it on again to clear the clog.
If you hear the low humming sound when turning it on, then it means the unit could be broken and jammed. In that case, fix your disposal, and make sure you disconnect the power unit. Now, you can try to break the clog in the disposal by turning on the blades. Once it is unclogged, turn on the power and test it. If all things look good, then turn on the faucet and see if the drainage is clear or not.
8.) Make prevention your priority
Follow certain preventive measures to clear a clogged drain with standing water. When it comes to clogged shower drains, hair is the root cause. So, use drain traps to catch the hair. Similarly, you can use mesh drain traps in your kitchen sinks to catch larger bits of food waste. The larger particles of dust and debris can make the clogs worse. So, use a trash box to put the waste rather than shaking it out in the sink.
Keep a bottle of baking soda or white vinegar in the bathroom, pour a small amount into the drain, and then flush it out with the hot water. Make this your habit to avoid plumbing problems. Routine drain cleaning is the best way to avoid clogged drain conditions. If you want to keep your drain odor-free and in a good working position, then hire a plumber near your location by calling them.
9.) Use your dish soap to unclog the drain
Sometimes, you can break down the greasy clog through dish soap. It can also lubricate other clogged materials like hair so that it can move away easily. However, don’t use it enough because if it fails to go down the drain, then it will solidify and leave the soap scum. Use 1 ounce of dish soap directly into the clogged drain, then slowly pour hot water directly into this. Flush the hot water for several minutes and check the condition.
10.) Use liquid drain cleaner
There are several benefits and drawbacks of using liquid cleaners so you should be very careful when picking a bottle. The most liquid cleaner contains chemicals like hydrochloric acid & sulfuric acid, which is dangerous when it comes in contact with skin and eyes. If you have a partial clog, then using a little drain cleaner is the quick fix. However, don’t use this product repeatedly. Use these cleaning agents cautiously.
11.) Call the Plumber
If all the above-discussed options don’t work for you or if you don’t have enough time to carry out the above-discussed procedure, then it’s time to call a professional plumber. When you hire a professional Plumber, they will use advanced plumbing tools to quickly complete the process.
We, at Baumbach Plumbing, take pride in being the premier plumbing and bathroom remodeling services company in Northern Virginia. With a commitment to excellence and years of expertise, we stand ready to address all your plumbing needs and bring your bathroom dreams to life. Our skilled professionals are dedicated to delivering top-notch solutions, ensuring your satisfaction every step of the way.
How can you enjoy a good time when you have a clogged sink? It’s completely inconvenient and unsanitary to live in a place like this. Depending upon the situation of the clog, you can follow any of the above-discussed ways on how to clear a clogged drain with standing water. If nothing works for you or if you do not feel confident to try something else, call us and get expert advice.
