Is a Clogged Drain an Emergency?

“Is a clogged drain an emergency?” is a question we hear quite a bit around the office here at Nick’s Plumbing and Sewer Services. While most clogged drains are a minor inconvenience, there are situations where a timely response to a drain blockage is essential to prevent illness or damage to the home.

Run some hot water down the kitchen drain while you read this blog to see if your clogged drain is an emergency.

What Kinds of Clogs are Plumbing Emergencies?

Clogged kitchen sink drains get in the way of everyday necessities like food preparation and cleaning, creating a potentially unhealthy situation, and would be considered an emergency. Kitchen drain clogs are usually caused by cooking grease and other food waste that enters the drain, intended for the garbage disposal. Whatever the garbage disposal grinds, or fails to grind, ends up in our kitchen sink drains. The resulting coagulated, sticky mess adheres to the inside of your pipe, slowing and eventually blocking the drain completely.

Toilet clogs are not only unpleasant to deal with; they pose a substantial health hazard if not addressed quickly. Without getting graphic, we know what goes into our toilets, and we’re all aware of the risks of toilet backups. While most toilet clogs can be blamed on using too much toilet paper or flushing something you shouldn’t have, it could also signal a broken flange. In a single-bathroom home, a clogged toilet is absolutely a plumbing emergency, as there is no way to flush waste out of the house.    

Clogged sewer lines that are actively backing wastewater into your home would be considered a plumbing emergency. In the same way, a clogged toilet poses health risks, a clogged sewer line is worse, as it can back raw sewage up into every drain in your home.

What Kinds of Clogs Aren’t Plumbing Emergencies? 

Bathtub and shower drains are notorious for clogs, due usually to a collection of hair, soap residue, dirt, and other debris. But is a clogged drain an emergency? For homes with more than one bathroom, a tub or shower drain clog can usually wait until the next day. It’s unlikely that a single clogged sink, shower, or bathtub will pose any real damage or health risk to your home or family.

 Shower and bathtub drain clogs can often be remedied by the homeowner, by removing the drain covering and using a coat hanger for fishing out any debris. After removing a clog from a shower or tub drain, always follow up by using a non-chemical drain cleaner like BioOne®. Chemical clog busters seem like a convenient way to remove a blockage, but if improperly used can cause injuries to eyes and skin. Additionally, chemical drain cleaners are incredibly caustic, meaning they dissolve everything in their path, including your plumbing.

 Nick’s Plumbing and Sewer Services has been answering the question “is a clogged drain an emergency” in Houston since 1979. Call us today with any clogged drain problem, and one of our licensed and experienced emergency plumbers will give you a free estimate before any work is done.