Having a drain on your garage floor can be incredibly helpful. It means you can wash your car without making a mess. You can drive through the rain without leaving standing water and mop the garage floor after projects with ease. However, garage drains are the most likely to clog when something other than soapy water gets through the grate. A clogged garage drain often includes dirt, leaves, small lost items, as well as other garage waste.
Having a clogged garage drain is similar to a basement drain clog, and can have dire consequences. Fortunately, it is often easy to clean and a professional can help you get clogs that are too deep to DIY.
Knowledge is Power – Learn The Causes Of Garage Clogs To Learn The cure
The best place to start is to understand what causes a clogged garage floor drain or blocked sewer trap. Let’s dive into the five main causes of a clogged garage drain.
The 5 Reasons for a Clogged Garage Drain
1. The Most Common Cause of a Clogged Garage Drain: Debris Buildup
The garage is a naturally dirty place. Debris from outdoors often comes in with the car or blows in with the breeze. It is common for leaves, dirt, gravel, and other outdoor debris to accumulate in the garage drain over time, causing blockages. Too much soil and leaf mulch in the drain can also cause clogs over time, even though washing some of the dirt and even small rocks down the drain is no problem.
2. Oil and Grease
Car maintenance can also lead to serious drain problems. Just like in the kitchen, you want to keep oil and grease out of the drain because they can congeal in the pipes and contribute to waterproof clogs.
Spilled motor oil, grease, or other automotive fluids can also congeal and adhere to the sides of the drain pipes, restricting water flow and leading to clogs. Enough grease that flows down the pipes will effectively narrow them, making them more prone to clogging.
3. Sediment Deposits
Sediment is mineral deposits from rainwater runoff or groundwater that settles into the drain pipes. These mineral deposits form a salt-like buildup along the sides of your drain pipes.
Over time, the drain pipes narrow the passage, making the pipes smaller and increasing the chance of blockages. Most people think sediment comes from tap water, but all local water can carry minerals that build up in your pipes.
4. Tree Roots
Tree roots are a serious problem for any underground pipe, and just because pipes are indoors doesn’t mean they are immune from root growth. These roots seeking moisture will find the smallest entry point and infiltrate underground pipes.
Once roots enter a pipe, they grow, multiply, and get thicker, cracking the pipe, filling the channel, and causing blockages in your garage drain system. Explore the phenomena of roots in pipes to see just how extreme this seemingly natural problem can become.
5. Foreign Objects
It is also very possible for small objects to accidentally wash down the drain. This is particularly true in garages, where random items are more prone to be left lying around on the floor.
Tools and small hardware, toys, debris, and broken pieces of objects in the garage can flow into the pipe, and then obstruct the flow of water. This leads to a further build-up of sediment and debris around these objects, eventually leading to a clogged garage drain.
When a Clogged Garage Drain is Not Related To The Drain Itself
In many cases what appears to be a clogged garage drain is not an issue with the drain at all. The simple physics of a clog is that water will seek the path of least resistance and back up out of the lowest available outlet. In many cases the garage floor drain is the lowest open outlet in a building, therefore a house drain clog or sewer drain clog will appear from out of a garage drain.
Therefore, it is easy to mistake a main drain clog or a house sewer clog for a clogged garage drain. If you suspect that might be the case, locate the main house trap, and always remember to open the street-side sewer plug first.
The Consequences of a Clogged Garage Drain
A clogged garage drain leads to the backup of dirty water and possibly car maintenance fluids inside your garage. Pooling water can also become stagnant and dangerous, and automotive chemicals are not safe for skin contact. It is important to resolve the clog once you notice water pooling or draining slowly in the garage drain before more serious problems can occur.
How to Prevent Your Garage Drain from Clogging
Several smart precautions can minimize the risk of a clogged garage drain, even if your garage is a very active place.
- Keep a grate over the garage drain with small holes or a mesh that stops objects, leaves, and debris from flowing down the drain.
- Drain automotive fluids into a pan and dispose of them properly rather than pouring them down the garage drain or allowing them to hit the floor where they will eventually drain.
- Sweep the garage regularly to minimize dirt that goes down the drain. Sweep out the dirt into a dustpan, and do not flush them down the drain.
Unclogging Your Garage Drain
If you have a clogged garage drain, start by checking to see if a DIY solution will work. Start by scooping out any leaves and dirt that have built up, if they are within easy reach. Then look to see if there is an object within reach that you can pull out by hand, with pliers, grill tongs, or with a hooked coathanger.
If you see sediment buildup, pour a large pot of hot water and white vinegar down the drain. The vinegar solution can break up mineral deposits and dissolve other types of clogs. If it is greasy or gooey in there, use hot water to melt the grease and help it get to the sewer line, where the stronger flow will carry it out.
Don’t Let Do It Yourself Become Damage It Yourself!
However, if you can’t resolve the clog yourself, it’s time to call the pros. Professional drain cleaning tools can reach deeper and provide stronger drain-clearing solutions that are sure to get your garage drain flowing clear again soon.
Let Team Balkan Help You With Your Clogged Garage Drain
Once a drain issue becomes more than a DIY project, trust the Balkan Drain Team. Balkan Sewer & Drain Cleaning specializes in resolving drain problems for residents and businesses throughout the NYC area. We can handle tough clogs, multi-drain clogs, as well as specialized clogs like the drain on your garage floor.
Whether the issue is a gas cap halfway down the next pipe bend or a serious sediment and motor oil buildup, we’ve got you covered with snakes, hydro-jetting, and more!
Sharing Is Caring – Team Balkan Cures Your Clog and Teaches You About Clog Prevention
Garage drains can pick up a lot of clogging material simply by where they are located. Even the most attentive homeowner can experience clogs where debris, settlement, and lost tools accumulate in the drain pipe. We can help you clear that garage drain and share helpful tips on how to keep it clear in the future.
For garage drainage issues and any other drain problems in your home, call The Balkan Drain Team today!
