If you live in Hollywood, FL and your drains seem to clog more often than they should, you are not imagining it. The age of the housing, South Florida’s trees, sand and heavy rain, and the way most homes are plumbed all play a part. Here are the most common reasons drains clog in Hollywood homes, and what you can do to prevent it.

1. Older cast iron and clay pipes

Many Hollywood neighborhoods were built in the decades after World War II, and many of those homes still have their original cast iron drain lines under the slab, or clay laterals running to the street. After decades of use, cast iron corrodes from the inside and develops a rough, scaly surface that catches grease, paper and hair. Clay joints shift and open up. Both lead to clogs that come back no matter how many times you plunge. If a clog turns into a backup after hours, our emergency plumber in Hollywood answers 24/7.

What to do: if a home is over 40 years old and drains clog repeatedly, a sewer camera inspection shows the condition of the pipe before you spend money on repeated cleanings.

2. Tree roots

Neighborhoods like Hollywood Lakes and Emerald Hills have large, mature trees. Roots are drawn to the moisture inside sewer lines and enter through tiny cracks or loose joints. Once inside, they grow into a net that catches everything going down the drain.

What to do: snaking cuts a path through roots, but they grow back. Root removal with hydro jetting cleans them back to the pipe wall and lasts much longer.

3. Grease and food waste

Cooking oil and grease are liquid when they go down the sink and solid once they cool in the pipe. Layer by layer, they narrow the line until even water struggles to pass. Garbage disposals do not solve this. They only chop food into smaller pieces that stick to the grease.

What to do: pour cooled grease into a container and throw it in the trash, wipe pans before washing, and run cold water when using the disposal.

4. Sand and salt near the beach

Homes and rentals near Hollywood Beach deal with sand coming in on feet, towels and beach gear. Sand is heavy and settles at low points in the pipes, especially in showers and laundry drains. In condos with shared stacks, one blocked line can affect several units.

What to do: rinse off outside when possible, use hair and sand catchers in showers, and shake out beach towels before washing.

5. Hard water and mineral scale

Minerals in the water slowly build up on the inside of pipes, fixtures and water heaters. In older lines, that scale narrows the pipe and gives grease and hair something to cling to.

What to do: periodic professional cleaning removes scale before it becomes a blockage. Hydro jetting is the most effective option for heavily scaled lines.

6. Heavy rain and high water tables

During the rainy season, sewer and storm systems handle a lot of water. When a home’s line is already partially blocked, heavy rain can push it over the edge and cause slow drains or backups at the lowest fixture in the house.

What to do: if drains slow down every time it rains hard, the main line is likely partially blocked. Have it cleaned before the next storm.

7. Things that should never go down a drain

“Flushable” wipes, paper towels, feminine products, dental floss, coffee grounds and eggshells cause a large share of the clogs we see. None of them break down in the pipe the way toilet paper does.

Warning signs it is time to call a professional

• More than one drain is slow at the same time.
• The toilet gurgles when the sink or washer drains.
• Water backs up into the shower or tub when you flush.
• Sewage odors from floor drains or outside cleanouts.
• The same drain clogs again within a few weeks.

These signs usually point to the main line, and plunging or chemicals will not fix them.

Local drain cleaning in Hollywood, FL

ClogMasters is a licensed drain cleaning company based in Hollywood, available 24/7. We find the cause first, then clear the full line with the right equipment, from cable machines to hydro jetting and camera inspection. Learn more about our drain cleaning in Hollywood or call (754) 215-6280.