Blocked Drains: Why It Is Important to Check the Entire System
Many DIY attempts to clear a blocked drain often produce temporary results because the homeowner only pays attention to the immediate cause of the blockage. However, the clog may be drawing your attention to other serious issues. This article discusses some of the bigger issues that can be unearthed when the entire drainage system is checked prior to clearing a blockage.
Tree Root Intrusion
The plumber who helps to clear your blocked drains can discover the points at which tree roots have penetrated the drainage system. This can only be possible when you ask him or her to check the entire system. It is possible that the clog which has affected your plumbing system could be connected to the tree root intrusion. For example, a tree root may have caused a drainage pipe to narrow. Consequently, the flow of wastewater may have become sluggish to such an extent that any debris in the system will stagnate at a certain point and form a clog. Clearing the clog without dealing with the tree roots will therefore result in short-term relief since other clogs can form within the system.
Broken Pipes or Joints
It is also important to check the entire drainage system in order to establish whether ground movements have caused any pipes or joints to break. Such shifting or settlement issues can cause major problems later on in case they are not addressed when a blockage is fixed. For example, a broken joint in the drainage system can cause wastewater to gradually leak into the surrounding soil until it starts flowing on the soil in your yard. Identifying that problem early while a blockage is fixed can save you from incurring higher costs to fix the system when it sustains greater damage.
Foreign Objects
It is possible that any foreign object that has caused a blockage in the drainage system isn't the first foreign object to enter that system. It is therefore helpful for you to ask the plumber to check the entire drainage system in order to remove any other foreign objects that may be present. This will save you from having to call the plumber back after a short while to clear another blockage caused by a foreign object that wasn't removed during the previous unclogging exercise.
As you can see, clearing a blockage without having the whole system checked can result in frequent blockages caused by related factors that were not rectified during the unclogging process. You will notice longer intervals between drainage problems in case you adopt this system-wide approach to any clog that develops.
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