When summer arrives, you’re probably focused on seasonal chores like lawn care, gutter cleaning, and making sure your AC is ready to go. But one area that often gets overlooked is your plumbing system.
However, summertime is a very common season to contend with slow drains. Below, we’ll address some of the most typical reasons you may have this problem and what you can do to prevent it from happening in the first place.
Grease Buildup
One of the biggest culprits behind slow drains in the summertime is grease, fat, and oil buildup inside your plumbing. Anytime you allow grease to go down your drain, even if it’s in a liquid form, it will start to harden and eventually stick to the inside of your pipes.
During the heat of summer, this hardened grease will start to soften and collect other debris going down your drains. This will cause the inside of your pipes to become narrow and eventually create a full blockage, leaving you to call for drain cleaning or plumbing repair.
Increased Bathroom Use
With the days being longer in the summertime and more outdoor activities taking place, your household’s water usage is going to increase. Activities like taking more frequent showers, doing more laundry, and even irrigating your lawn can increase the demand on your plumbing system. This may lead to more plumbing issues in the summer than in other seasons of the year.
Outdated Piping
Older homes are more susceptible to experiencing slow drainage due to their outdated plumbing systems. Older materials like galvanized steel and cast iron tend to corrode over time, which can catch debris and cause clogs.
Tree Root Intrusion
During the summer, tree roots grow aggressively. If they find a crack in your sewer line, they can infiltrate the pipe and continue expanding. Inside the pipe, they can trap debris and eventually cause a major blockage.
Ground Saturation
When your area experiences a lot of heavy rain, the ground may become too saturated. If your existing sewer line has any cracking or defects, excess water will simply back up into your plumbing system. This can overwhelm the line and slow down the drainage of wastewater out of your home.
Bacterial Growth
The combination of humidity and heat creates the perfect environment for bacterial growth like algae, mold, and mildew. Unfortunately, during the summer months, the inside of your drain piping can develop this microbial growth. As the biofilm thickens, it can restrict water flow and lead to noticeably slower drains.
Pipe Shifting
Excess heat in the summer can cause plastic and metal pipes to expand. In some cases, this can cause shifting in the soil that leads to a misalignment or sag in the sewer line. When a sewer line experiences low spots or dips, it can accumulate excess debris in these areas. Over time, this debris will partially clog the sewer line and slow down the flow of wastewater through it.
Clogged Vent Stacks
For every plumbing fixture in your home, there is a vent that goes towards the roof of your home. These vents are necessary to help with air pressure release so that all your drains can actually drain water properly.
During the summer, roof vent stacks can become clogged with leaves, bird nests, or other debris. When airflow is blocked, your drains may gurgle or drain slowly due to imbalanced air pressure.
Preventative Tips
No one wants to be stuck dealing with a slow drain in the middle of the summer season. Fortunately, there are various things you can do as a homeowner to greatly reduce your risk of experiencing a plumbing issue.
Get Routine Plumbing Inspections
One of the most important things you can do to prevent having an issue is to get a routine plumbing inspection. During this inspection, one of our plumbers will assess all the piping throughout your home to check for any defects or worn-out components that could compromise their integrity. This will help us catch issues early on so we can repair them before you experience a major system malfunction.
If we do find any problems, we will let you know what they are. Then, we will collaborate with you to come up with a plan to fix them.
Use Drain Strainers
Another helpful tactic to implement is to install drain strainers at all of your drains. This will help catch unwanted debris before it gets into your drain pipe and causes a clog. These are great for catching items like hair, eggshells, and even coffee grounds.
Don’t Drain Grease or Food Scraps
One of the easiest ways to prevent slow drainage in the summer is to be mindful of what you’re putting down your drains. Have a separate location to get rid of grease, fat, and oils. You can dispose of these in a jar or plastic tub when they cool. Then, you can pour them into the trash. Additionally, it’s important to not use your drain as a garbage bin. Items like coffee grounds, eggshells, and even rice should never be put down your drains.
Be Careful What You Flush
Additionally, you must avoid putting any flushable wipes or feminine hygiene products in your toilets. Even if items are labeled flushable, this doesn’t mean they are.
Update Outdated Components
During your annual plumbing inspection, one of our professionals will let you know if any of your plumbing components are outdated and in need of replacement. By routinely upgrading your plumbing components, you can help avoid issues like excessive internal corrosion that would otherwise lead to slow drainage issues.
Check Vent Pipes Regularly
Another great preventative tip is to ensure you’re regularly checking the vent pipes to make sure there’s no debris buildup. You can do this yourself or you can have your roofing professional do it when they’re performing your annual roof inspection.
Know the Warning Signs and Get Professional Assistance
As a homeowner, it’s important to notice the signs of a plumbing problem so that you can get professional assistance promptly. Slow drains are just one of the many issues you may experience. Some of the other ones include pooling water, foul sewage odors, and even gurgling noises. Contact us for drain cleaning when you realize there’s an issue to prevent further damage from happening to your system.
Reliable Plumbing Inspection Service
Hurlburt offers reliable plumbing inspection service for the WI and MN areas. We can also help with all your plumbing repair, new installation, and replacement needs. Simply contact us today to book your next service consultation.
