Why does my drain keep clogging?

Why does a drain clog again after you clear it?

A drain clogs again when whatever caused the first clog is still in the pipe. A plunger or hand snake often punches a hole through the blockage so water runs again, but most of the buildup on the pipe walls stays put. New waste catches on what’s left, and the drain slows again.

Why does my kitchen sink keep clogging?

A kitchen sink keeps clogging when fats, oils and grease build up in the drain line. Metro Vancouver lists dairy products, margarine, gravy, cooking oils, salad dressing, mayonnaise and meat drippings as fats, oils and grease. It says a chemical reaction turns them into a concrete-like material that can clog the pipes in your home.

Hot water and dish soap won’t wash grease away for good. Metro Vancouver calls that a myth and says greasy food mixed with soap still goes through the chemical reaction that turns grease concrete-like. It also says a garburator may break grease into small pieces, but that doesn’t make it go away. The City of Surrey adds that food waste can cause a blockage if it sticks to hardened grease.

Metro Vancouver’s advice is “wipe it, green bin it.” Here is how that works at the sink:

1. Wipe greasy pans and plates with a paper towel and put the towel in the green bin.
2. Scrape food scraps into the green bin before you wash up.
3. Take larger amounts, like deep fryer oil, to a recycling depot that accepts it.
4. Use a sink strainer, which Surrey says keeps food and hair out of the drain.

Why does my bathroom sink or tub keep clogging?

A bathroom sink or tub usually keeps clogging because hair collects in the drain. It wraps around the stopper or the crossbar under the drain opening, and soap residue binds it into a mat that slows the drain a little more each week.

A hair catcher on the tub or shower drain stops most of it. Pull the sink stopper and clean it now and then. Metro Vancouver says a few strands can go in the green bin and larger amounts, like hair from a brush, go in the garbage.

Why does my toilet keep clogging?

A toilet usually keeps clogging because something besides pee, poo and toilet paper is being flushed, which Metro Vancouver says are the only things safe to flush. Wipes go in the garbage even when the package says “flushable,” because they don’t break down quickly in the sewer system and can bind with other materials to clog sewers. Floss, period products and paper towels don’t belong in the toilet either.

If your toilet clogs even when only toilet paper goes down, something may be lodged in the toilet itself, or the blockage may be further along in the drain or main line.

Why does my main sewer line keep backing up?

Tree roots and sags in the pipe are common reasons a main line keeps backing up, along with grease and wipes that collect further down the line. Several drains backing up at once points to the main line.

The City of Surrey says roots can grow into your service connection through joints or cracks. Its sewer issues page warns that root problems can return because roots grow back, and that excessive cleaning with augers or root cutters can degrade the pipe. The City of Coquitlam lists roots in the service pipe, a slope below standard and pipes that have deteriorated over time as reasons a sewer pipe can back up.

Who maintains the sewer pipe between my house and the street?

In Surrey and Coquitlam, the sewer pipe between your house and the property line is generally yours to maintain. Surrey asks residents to call the City if the inspection chamber is full or overflowing, but not when only a single toilet or sink in the home has a problem. Other municipalities set their own rules, so check with yours.

Will a chemical drain cleaner stop a clog from coming back?

No. A chemical drain cleaner doesn’t remove what keeps causing the clog. It might loosen a soft plug of hair and soap near the top of a drain, but it won’t cut roots or break up a wad of wipes. In a fully blocked drain, the product just sits in the pipe.

These products are also a hazard. Health Canada lists drain cleaners among household chemicals that can be dangerous and says corrosive products can burn your skin or eyes. It also warns never to mix household chemical products, since some mixtures give off harmful gases. Don’t plunge a drain with cleaner in it.

Is snaking or hydro jetting better for a drain that keeps clogging?

Snaking is the usual fix for a clog in a single fixture, and hydro jetting is better when grease or sludge coats the inside of the pipe. A snake, or auger, is a spinning steel cable that bores through the blockage or hooks hair and debris to pull it out. On a sewer line, a cutting head on the snake slices through roots.

A jetter sends high-pressure water through a nozzle that scours grease and sludge off the pipe walls and flushes the loosened material downstream. That suits greasy kitchen lines and main lines that keep clogging.

Neither method repairs a pipe, and jetting a cracked or collapsing line can make the damage worse. If a line keeps clogging after a proper cleaning, a camera inspection can show what is wrong inside the pipe, such as roots or a sag. The City of Coquitlam recommends that homeowners have their pipes camera inspected periodically.

When to call a plumber

Call a plumber when a clog keeps coming back or spreads past one fixture, such as when:

• The same drain clogs again soon after you clear it.
• More than one drain is slow or backing up at the same time.
• Water or sewage comes up through a floor drain, tub or basement toilet.
• You’ve used a chemical drain cleaner and the drain is still blocked.

If sewage is backing up, stop running water and flushing toilets until the line is clear, and keep children and pets away from the water. DrainX does drain cleaning and hydro jetting and handles main line and sewer backups, including emergency plumbing calls. When you call, mention which fixtures are affected and any chemical cleaner you have used.