Everyone has cleared a clogged drain at some point. But when the same sink, tub or toilet backs up over and over, plunging it again is only buying time. Something in the line is causing the clog to rebuild, and until that's addressed, it will keep coming back.
Grease is the most common culprit in kitchen drains. It goes down warm and liquid, cools inside the pipe, and coats the walls layer by layer until the opening is a fraction of its original size. Every bit of food that follows sticks to it.
In bathrooms, it's hair and soap scum. Hair catches on the drain's crossbars or a rough spot in the pipe, and soap and skin oils bind it into a mat that grows over time.
Sometimes the problem is the pipe itself. A section that has sagged (a "belly") holds water and debris. Old cast iron gets rough inside and catches everything. A poorly vented drain gurgles and drains slowly no matter how clean it is.
If several drains are slow at the same time, or the lowest drain in the house backs up when you run water elsewhere, the blockage is in the main sewer line — often tree roots, which are common in the Inland Empire's older neighborhoods with mature landscaping.
Why not just pour in a chemical cleaner? Because they're caustic enough to damage older metal pipes and PVC joints, they rarely remove the full blockage (just enough to let water trickle through), and they create a hazard for whoever eventually opens the pipe. Most plumbers will tell you the same thing: skip them.
What actually works: a proper cabling or snaking of the line removes the buildup rather than punching a hole in it. If the clog returns, a camera inspection can show whether there's a belly, a break or roots in the line that need to be repaired.
A few habits help too: scrape grease into the trash instead of the sink, use a drain screen in showers and tubs, and run hot water for a minute after using the kitchen sink.
PKA Plumbing clears clogged drains and finds out why they keep clogging, for homes and businesses across the Inland Empire. Call or text (951) 333-7410 for a free estimate.