A home floor drain can be blocked with hair, dust, and other debris. To clear it, you can use a drain auger or a plunger. You can also try a baking soda and vinegar solution. The vinegar will help to break up any buildup. If you are not confident in your abilities to perform this task, ask someone for help.
Inexperienced plumbing contractors may install the floor drain improperly, resulting in damage to the floor. Or they might repair it with the wrong material, which is expensive and potentially dangerous. In the worst case scenario, you might need to call a plumber to come back and repair it. The process may not be complicated, but it will be easier if you let a professional do it.
The floor drain is an important part of your home’s sewage system. To prevent odors from coming back into your home, it has a trap. This trap is similar to those found under bathroom and kitchen sink fixtures. It is a U-shaped pipe that dips into the floor. When it is full, water will run through the trap. The trap also contains a vent pipe that takes sewer gas outside your home.
Another feature of floor drains is cleanout plugs. These are rubber stoppers that fit on the cleanout plug threads. When they are in good condition, they allow you to easily remove blockages. However, if the cleanout plug is damaged or rusted, you may need to replace it.
If you suspect a floor drain backup, call a plumber right away. A floor drain backup is a serious inconvenience and a plumbing emergency can be expensive. However, you can prevent a costly plumbing disaster by maintaining the floor drain properly. A regular cleaning of the floor drain grate is crucial to prevent blockages from happening. Grease can build up in the drain and make it difficult to fix.
A clogged floor drain can be a sign of a problem in your main sewer line. Sewage can back up and spill onto your basement floor when the main sewer line is disrupted. The floor drain should be screened to prevent large objects from entering it. A screened floor drain also prevents any debris from getting into the drain.
When a floor drain is connected to the sewer, you need to consider installing a backwater valve. A backwater valve is a simple device that prevents waste water from backflowing into your home. The valve acts by raising a float that closes the drain. This backflow valve will help prevent a flood from occurring.