Why Is My Drain Slow, and When Is It Serious?
One slow drain is usually a local clog you can often clear with a plunger or a hand snake. Several slow drains, gurgling or water coming up elsewhere means the main line, which needs a plumber.
Request a plumberOne fixture or many?
Run water in a sink, then a tub, then flush a toilet. If only one is slow, the clog is near it.
What you can try
A plunger, a hair catcher pulled from the tub, or a cheap plastic drain stick often clears bathroom sinks and showers.
What not to try
Caustic drain chemicals can damage older pipe and make the plumber's job harder and riskier.
Signs it's the main
Gurgling toilets, water rising in a tub or shower when the washer drains, or sewage smells.
Roots and old pipe
In older neighborhoods, live oak roots and old clay or cast-iron pipe are common causes. See sewer line repair.
Get it cleared
See drain cleaning or send a request.
How do I keep drains clear?
Use strainers in kitchen and shower drains, keep grease and wipes out, and run hot water after using the disposal. If the main line clogs more than once a year, a camera inspection will show why.
Is a slow drain urgent?
Not usually, unless water is coming up somewhere else or sewage is involved. Then stop using water and send a request.
Washing machine backups
If the floor drain or laundry sink overflows when the washer empties, the drain may be too small for modern machines or partly blocked. Mention it in your request.
Older homes
In older Savannah houses, cast-iron drains narrow with scale over the years, so clogs return faster. If the same drain keeps slowing down, a camera inspection shows whether the pipe itself is the problem.
More plumbing guides
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