There are many things around the house you can put off until tomorrow – the dishes, a broken light bulb, your laundry, – but clogged drains aren’t one of them. Because if you do, you must be prepared for plumbing disasters of catastrophic poop portions.

Telltale Signs You Have A Clogged Drain

Probably the only good thing about a plumbing problem is that it won’t take you by surprise. It will let you know it’s there. Which is both a good thing and a bad thing. Good, because now at least you know you have a drainage problem. Bad, well, because you have a clogged drain.

One of the easiest ways to tell if you have a drainage problem is to check how much time it takes for water to go down the drain. If water settles in your sink or bathroom floor before going down the drain at a slower rate than usual, then it’s a clear indication that you might have to call for professional drain cleaners.

However, the undisputed, number one sign that something is wrong with your plumbing is the smell. If there is an unknown source of the funky smell in your house, there’s a huge chance that it’s from sewage gas exiting through your pipes.

Things that Can Clog Your Drain and What You Can Do

While there are many things you definitely shouldn’t throw down your kitchen sinks such as food scraps, paper towels, and eggshells, oil takes the cake for the most unsuspecting source of clogging. You may think that just because it’s liquid, it would slide down the pipe as easily as water would – but it won’t. It will solidify and attach itself to the sides of your pipes, where it will catch every last bit of food scrap you throw in there. In no time, you’ll have a seriously clogged drain on your hands.

Depending on how bad the clog is, you might simply just have to use homemade drain cleaners to clear it. However, there are times that DIY-ing it only makes matters worse, as using a plunger or snake incorrectly can cause pipes to burst. Also, if the blockage has already reached the point of having to disassemble the pipes, then calling in expert drain cleaners is the most sensible course of action.

Can You Achieve a Clear Drain? Absolutely.

Even in drain maintenance, the old adage, “prevention is better than cure” also applies. Use a drain basket to keep food scraps from getting into your drain in the first place. Also, make it a habit to cleanse your drain pipes with the classic dish soap and hot water combo at least once a week.
However, if even with proper maintenance you still get a clogged drain, the best thing to do is call a plumber. Because, if you don’t want your house to end up getting flooded with stinky water, it’s better to leave the job to experts.