Plumbing, Drains and Sewer Guide

A slow sink is an annoyance. A sewer backup in the basement is a mess. Most drain problems fall somewhere in between, and knowing the difference helps you act before a small clog becomes a big repair. This guide explains how your drains work, why they clog, and the tools plumbers use to clear them.

How your home's drain system works

Every sink, tub, toilet and appliance drains into a network of pipes that slope downhill. Gravity does the work. Those branch lines join a main drain, which leaves the house as the sewer lateral and runs to the city sewer or a septic system.

• Traps are the curved pipes under sinks and tubs. They hold a little water that blocks sewer gas from coming into the house.
• Vents run up through the roof. They let air into the system so water drains smoothly instead of gurgling.
• Cleanouts are capped openings that give a plumber access to the main line.

When only one fixture is slow, the clog is usually close to that fixture. When several drains back up at once, the problem is often in the main line.

Why drains clog

Grease and food in kitchen drains

Grease goes down as a liquid and hardens in the pipe. Food scraps stick to it and the opening gets smaller over time. Even with a garbage disposal, fats, coffee grounds and rice cause trouble.

Hair and soap in bathroom drains

Hair tangles with soap scum and forms a mat. Strainers on tub and shower drains catch most of it before it gets into the pipe.

Mineral scale from hard water

Northern Utah water is hard and full of minerals. Over years, those minerals build up inside pipes and make them narrower, which helps everything else stick. A water softener slows that buildup.

Things that should not be flushed

Wipes, even ones labeled flushable, do not break down like toilet paper. Paper towels, cotton swabs and hygiene products are common causes of toilet and main line clogs.

Tree roots

Roots are drawn to the moisture in sewer lines. They slip into small cracks and joints, then grow into a web that catches everything that passes. Older homes with clay or cast iron sewer lines see this often.

Snaking or hydro jetting?

Plumbers have two main tools for clearing clogs, and each fits a different job.

Drain snaking

A drain snake, also called an auger, is a flexible steel cable with a cutting head. It punches through a clog and opens the pipe. Snaking works well for single clogs in sinks, tubs and toilets, and it is often the first step for a main line backup. Our drain cleaning service starts here.

Hydro jetting

Hydro jetting sends water through the pipe at very high pressure. Instead of poking a hole through the clog, it scours the pipe walls clean, cutting through grease, scale and roots. It is a good choice for lines that clog again and again, and for commercial kitchens. Learn more on our hydro jetting page.

Camera inspection

For repeat clogs or main line trouble, a small camera on a cable lets the plumber see inside the pipe. It shows roots, cracks, sags and breaks, so you know whether the line needs cleaning or repair.

Warning signs of a sewer line problem

Your sewer line runs underground, so you cannot see it fail. These signs suggest something is wrong.

• Several drains are slow or back up at the same time.
• Water comes up in the tub or shower when you flush a toilet.
• Toilets gurgle when the washing machine drains.
• You smell sewage inside the house or in the yard.
• A patch of lawn over the sewer line is soggy or greener than the rest.
• Water backs up through a basement floor drain.

If you see any of these, stop running water and call. A camera inspection tells us what is going on. If the line is cracked, collapsed or full of roots, our sewer line repair page explains the options.

What happens during a drain cleaning visit

Knowing what to expect makes the visit easier. Here is how we usually work through a drain call.

Questions first

We ask which drains are slow, when it started, and whether anything unusual went down the line. Those answers often point to the cause before we open anything.

Finding the right access point

For a single fixture, we work from that drain or the trap below it. For a main line, we use a cleanout so we are not pushing a clog back toward the house.

Clearing the line

We start with the tool that fits the problem, usually a snake. If the line has heavy grease, scale or roots, we may recommend hydro jetting. We explain the choice and the price before we start.

Checking the result

We run water through the line to make sure it drains freely. For repeat problems, we may suggest a camera inspection so you can see the inside of the pipe yourself.

Basement drains and sump pumps

Many Northern Utah homes have basements, and spring snowmelt can push groundwater up around foundations. A floor drain that backs up, or water that seeps in along the walls, is a different problem from a kitchen clog. A floor drain that backs up when other fixtures run usually points to the main line. Water that rises from the ground during wet spells may call for a sump pump, which collects water in a pit and pumps it away from the house. If you already have one, test it each spring by pouring a bucket of water into the pit and making sure it starts.

What to avoid with clogged drains

Chemical drain cleaners

Store-bought drain chemicals can damage older pipes and rarely clear a serious clog. If they do not work, the plumber then has to work around a pipe full of harsh chemicals.

Plunging a backed-up main

If several fixtures are backing up, plunging one will only push the water somewhere else, often into a basement drain.

Waiting it out

Slow drains rarely fix themselves. They usually get worse until they stop completely, often at the worst time.

Simple habits that keep drains flowing

• Wipe greasy pans with a paper towel before washing them.
• Put strainers on tub, shower and kitchen drains.
• Flush only toilet paper.
• Run hot water for a bit after using the garbage disposal.
• Know where your main cleanout is, so a plumber can reach it fast.

Freezing weather adds its own risk. Pipes in outside walls, crawl spaces and garages can freeze during sub-zero nights. Our frozen pipe repair page covers what to do if that happens.

Call our plumbers

Have a slow drain or a sewer smell? Call (435) 730-2536. Our office is open Monday to Friday, 8 AM to 6 PM, and we offer 24/7 emergency plumbing service on the same number. You can also schedule online.