Determining the Source of your Blocked Drain

The question for many Westchester County property owners who experience a blocked drain in New York is, "now what"? That is to say, what is the source of this problem and what do I do about it? Naturally, you will want to call in the professionals but a little analysis might save you money or time in the long-run. If your drain is clogged, slow or regurgitating it's contents, it's important to know where the problem begins...

If your problem is just a blocked drain Larchmont - you are in luck! This is a much cheaper and easier process than some of the more extensive plumbing or septic system problems.

My first question is: "Do you have a septic system"? Some signs of septic system trouble include gurgling drain noises, plumbing fixtures that overflow (my friend's bathtub frequently backed up with sewage from her upstairs neighbors), wet areas outside the building and sewage odors.

If you see wet areas reeking of sewage in your yard, your septic system is having problems. This could also be true if you have a connection with your municipal sewage systems Mount Vernon NY and the pipe leading from the house is leaking and/or broken. In this situation, it is important to call a sewage contractor to determine if you need to have a pipe replaced or your have a septic system field that has saturated it's absorption field.

If you don't have these exterior problems, you can at least breath a sigh of relief about that! You may instead have a building drain that is slow or clogged. Typically you will know if the clog exists in a single fixture because just one fixture - e.g. the toilet - is backing up. This is usually a simple fix involving the use of a snake. Snakes are kind of laborious to use so it is best to hire a contractor, but many property owners like to keep a snake on hand if they have an older property or a property prone to clogs. If several fixtures are clogged, you know that the clog exists on one of the main drains that connects several fixtures. Make note of these issues before you call your plumber or sewage contractor Mamaroneck.