4 Common Floor Drain Problems

A floor drain is a fairly simple feature in the home. A floor drain is a feature in basements, the garage or on the ground floor of the home. You can also find a floor drain in areas where there's a chance of excess water or fluids such as a laundry room or in the garage. The floor drain is a direct route to the drainage pipes and sometimes the sewer. The following article will share with you the most common problems that can plague a floor drain.

Familiar Debris

Most people do not give their floor drain a second thought until there is a problem with it. Food particles, hair and other large debris is one of the main problems a floor drain can have. When you are finished showering you will sometimes see hair clogging the drain but that is a small amount that could have made its way into the plumbing. The same thing applies to particles of food or other items accidentally put down any drain in the home. These items have to go somewhere and can eventually clog pipes and the first instance of clogging will be seen in a basement floor drain. There are chemicals you can purchase to deal with this kind of clog.

Pipe Crystallization

One serious and costly problem you may find with a floor drain is crystallization inside the pipes which can cause serious overflow and drainage problems. Materials such as urine, soap and sugary liquids like soda can all cause this problem. Once the fluid flows through the pipe it leaves trace amounts which then dry to leave sediment behind. Over time this can build and build until the pipe is nearly closed. When this problem rears its ugly head, you will need to call in a plumber. They have a special tool with a blade that cuts through the crystallized matter.

Problem down the Line

This is a problem you may not notice at first but can become serious. Floor drains are built to allow for some waste water overflow. They are made this way so that the pressure of the waste water does not cause a pipe to burst. If you can pour a massive amount of water down a floor drain without any overflow, there may be a break in the line somewhere and that will require hiring a plumber.

Raw Sewage or Odor

Imagine your plumbing system as an underground catacomb of pipes. They twist, turn and intersect all leading to a singular destination. If you live in the city, that destination is typically the city sewer system. If you live in a rural area, that will be your own sewage tank. If you can smell sewage or raw sewage is entering the home through the floor drain, there is a blockage in the sewer line and the pipe needs to be snaked to the street. When your septic tank is full the waste needs a place to go. Have your pipes snaked and the septic tank pumped.