Multi Level Building Drain Clogged

Understanding the drainage system of multi-level buildings?

Multi-level buildings can have several kinds of plumbing drainage systems, the branch lines, vertical stacks and horizontal underground lines.

The drainage of each level of the building with multiple floors is connected to the branch lines that connect the vertical stacks to each unit.Branch lines connect toilets, showers, sinks, washing machines, dishwashers etc. All of the branch lines from each floor transport the wastewater to the one long vertical stack. From the vertical lines, the waste moves to the horizontal lines. Horizontal underground lines run underneath the building and use gravity to move wastewater from there to the local sewage system.

Vertical stacks move from the  building’s roof to ground floor or basement. Vertical stacks consist of three main components and they are soil, vent and waste stacks.

• Soil stacks are connected to toilets and urinals and move away the water from these fixtures.
• Vent stacks balance the system by releasing trapped air.
• Waste stacks do not contain human waste and move water away from clean water fixtures like showers and sinks.

Reasons for the multi-level building’s drain to clog

Multi level building drains can clog for a variety of reasons. The most common causes of blocked drain stacks are grease, vegetables waste, hair, soap scum, flushing non-flushable waste down the drains. All of these waste materials get stuck to the walls of drain piping, building up over time and eventually blocking the drain.

How to keep Multi-level buildings' drain lines flow smoothly?

Make the residents of the building aware of the drain lines problems. Educate them the drain lines can get clogged by the grease, vegetable waste, eggshells and non-flushable toiletries like facial tissues, diapers, sanitary pads, paper towels. The only items that should be flushed down toilets are human waste and toilet paper.

Similarly, if you experience slow drain frequently, or suspect that your drains are being exposed to foreign debris, it is recommended to schedule regular preventive maintenance. Inspecting the drain lines regularly and having drain lines cleaned or hydro jetted once a year can remove clogs and maximize smooth water flow.

Common signs of drain clog

• Multiple backed up lines
  If more than one drain line is backed up, it’s probably the cause of a clog in the main sewer line. So when there is a clog in the main drain line, the wastewater draining from the other smaller lines have nowhere to go, except backing up.
• Gurgling sounds
  Hearing gurgling sounds when the water runs down the drain or while flushing the toilet is the sign that there is a problem in the main drain line.
• Sewage odors coming from the drains
  Bad smell coming out from the drain line especially on the lower levels is the sign that sewage is being clogged.

How to clean out the clogged drain line?

A clog in your bottom floor’s pipes is perhaps the major source of blockage for the entire building. This causes a backup that impacts every level or floor in your building.

So, first, identify the bottom floor drainage pipes of your building. Turn off the building’s water system and make sure to tell everyone in the building about this. After turning off the water, there are multiple ways to break the clog.

• Run a plumbing snake through the drainage pipes.
• Hydro-jetting the pipes with high-pressure water machine
• Remove the U shaped pipe and take out the remaining excessive substances
• Failure in the backwater valve also can cause backup resulting in drain clog. Check the backwater valve and get it fixed.

If you are still suffering from this problem after finishing this cleaning process, call Everest Drain & Plumbing, a professional plumber is right away. Most multi-level buildings sometimes need plumbing help. Knowing how plumbing works will help you understand the problems you run into but sometimes it still takes an experienced professional plumber to fix them. Call us now on (416) 383-7378.