If you are experiencing a problem with any of the drains in your home, it could be due to a clogged pipe, or it could be the result of some other type of problem. There are four main reasons drains will back up, and it is always important to find out why a drain is backing up before attempting to repair it. Here are the four main reasons this happens.

1. Clog in a pipe

The main reason drains back up is from clogs in the lines, and this is typically the problem people assume they are having when a drain is not working. Clogs in pipes form from grease, hair, debris, and soap scum, and you can experience a clogged pipe with any drain in your home. If this is the root cause of the problem, you should only experience problems with this one drain in your home. In other words, a clogged pipe will not affect every plumbing fixture in your house.

2. Clog in a main sewer line

When every plumbing fixture in your home seems to be clogged, it is likely that the problem lies with the main sewer line. The main sewer line is the one and only pipe that carries all the wastewater outside into the sewer system. If this pipe develops a clog in it, you will not be able to use any drains in your home, including the toilets, sinks, and tubs.

3. Clog in the sewer vent pipe

One problem that people experience that mimics a clogged drain is a clogged sewer vent pipe. A sewer vent pipe is something found in every home, and every plumbing fixture should be tied to a sewer vent pipe. This pipe allows sewer gases to exit the home, but it can get clogged as it is located on the roof of a house. If it is clogged, it will prevent water from flowing freely down drain pipes, which will make it seem like you have a clogged pipe.

4. Frozen pipe

One other reason drains will back up is if there is a frozen pipe somewhere along the line. A frozen pipe is a pipe that contains ice, and the ice clogs the line. If this is the case, thawing out the pipe will solve the problem.

When a drain is not functioning properly, you will not be able to use it until you get it fixed. To schedule an appointment for a plumbing problem, contact a plumbing company like Calhoun Plumbing today.