Clogged Drain in Garland TX? Here’s Why

Garland, Texas has less residents than Plano and Arlington. But over the last 18 months, we’ve received more service requests for Garland drain cleaning than in those cities. In this article, our Master Plumbers answer a simple question:

Why are there so many clogged drain problems in Garland?

Homes in G-Town present a unique set of drainage issues. A combination of 50-year-old residential plumbing systems, original cast iron drain pipes, and mature tree root intrusions create wastewater backups from your sinks and showers all the way to the city sewer.

The best way to stay ahead of Garland clogs without replacing your existing pipes is annual drain cleaning service. We’ll show you how to keep your drain pipes clear, and tell you when it’s time to consider updating your sewer lines to Schedule 40 PVC.

Drain problems in Garland? Call Mother 24/7 for same day drain cleaning service.

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Garland Drain Clogs: A “Perfect Storm” of Plumbing Problems

Mother’s research team reviewed the last 18 months of service data from Garland drain cleaning projects. These were the top 3 causes of local home wastewater backups:

1. Corroded cast iron drain pipes
2. Main line blockages from Live oak and pecan tree root intrusions
3. Organic fat and cooking grease clogs

“Any of those problems is enough to create a drain clog that keeps coming back,” says our Responsible Master Plumber Steven Smith. 

“In other cities, we see one or two of them pretty often. But when you get all three, it’s a real problem.”

Cast Iron Pipes Cause Backed-Up Drains in Garland

The average home in Garland is between 45-55 years old. These 1970s-era builds are filled with cast iron plumbing, especially their drain pipes and sewer lines.

Cast iron is rated to last 50 years from date of installation. That makes virtually every cast iron drain pipe in Garland obsolete.

How Aging Cast Iron Creates Drainage Issues

There’s a reason Garland plumbers stopped using cast iron around 1980. While it’s extremely durable for a decade or two, prolonged exposure to wastewater, your soil and incoming hard water creates a recipe for disaster.

• Wastewater corrosion. The acids in raw sewage eat away at the internal metal pipe walls. Over time, pitting and corrosion inside your drain pipe creates easy catch points for debris, grease and fats to get snagged and form blockages.
• Clay soil pressure. Garland homes sit on black clay soil. It’s up to 60% clay, which makes it swell when wet and shrink when dry. A combination of high pressure after rain and cracked empty spaces in summer droughts stresses cast iron until it breaks.
• Drain pipe scale buildup. The City of Garland purchases its water from the North Texas Municipal Water District (NTMWD). NTMWD’s moderately hard water supply leaves calcium and limestone mineral scale deposits in your drain pipes. Mineral scale reduces cast iron pipe diameter by over 50% over its lifespan.

Garland Neighborhoods With Frequent Cast Iron Drain Pipe Issues

• Camelot. Garland’s most notable 1970s-era development. Over 1,500 brick ranch homes- many with original cast iron drain pipes. Our drain cleaning specialists visit Camelot more than any other single Garland neighborhood.
• Monica Park. Like Camelot, most of these central Garland homes were built in the 60s and 70s. We see pitted drain pipes in Monica Park due to scale buildup and corrosion.

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Garland’s Mature Trees and Sewage Backup Problems

There’s a reason so many G-Town neighborhoods feature the word “oak”. Mature Live oak canopies are a staple feature of Garland’s local environment. They might even be the reason you chose to live here.

But the most common trees in our city are also notorious for their aggressive tree roots. Live oak and Pecan trees each feature root systems that travel up to 50 feet in search of nutrients and water- especially during our hot, dry summers.

If the clay soil under your lawn left cracks and joint separations in your cast iron sewer pipes, they’re easy targets for root intrusions. Your wastewater will feed them for decades.

Garland Root Intrusions Mimic In-Home Drain Clogs

When tree roots penetrate your main sewer line, they don’t stay still. They feed on organic nutrients in wastewater and grow. 

More roots enter the broken pipe and pry your cast iron apart. They form root massive and giant root balls that stop the flow of sewage away from your home. It has nowhere to go but back up into your first floor drains.

At first, you may notice a gurgling toilet or sink drain. Within a few months, there’s wastewater in your shower. 

Root Intrusions Are Most Common in These Garland Neighborhoods

• Duck Creek. Garland’s best greenbelt is also its top root intrusion trouble spot. Thick tree canopies and large lots mean plenty of room for mature root systems to spread underneath your yard and around your existing sewer pipes.
• The Oaks. If you have Japanese maples, you’re fine. But if your property is marked with pecans and Live oaks, keep an eye on your original cast iron plumbing.
• Oaks at Stoney Creek. Shade gardens are popular in this neighborhood. That means old, beautiful oak trees- and some of the nastiest root masses we’ve seen in local sewer lines.

Home Cooking Increases Clogged Drain Issues

Folks in Garland are busy. Long days of construction and manufacturing work, grabbing the kids from Owls football practice- that equals lots of dinners at home.

Over 60% of Garland homeowners prepare meals at home 4-7 days a week. That’s a ton of cooking fat, oil and grease going down the kitchen sink.

Fat, oil and grease buildup become “FOG clogs” in your drain pipe. Cooking grease is the biggest offender. As it cools, it creates a giant congealed mass that doesn’t break apart easily. It snags food scraps and limescale in your kitchen drain, creating a heavy blockage.

Why Drano and Plungers Don’t Work on Garland Grease Clogs

The density of these FOG clogs pushes them down into your drain pipe. They’re too tough for plungers to clear and too deep for hardware store drain snakes to break up.

And Drano stinks at clearing grease clogs. Not only do chemical drain cleaners struggle to dissolve grease, they can melt the fat into an even thicker sludge.

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Our Plumbers Clear Grease Clogs In These Neighborhoods

• Firewheel. Families move here for the schools. Don’t confuse newer pipes with clean drains- heavy in-home cooking creates fat and grease clogs just as often here.
• Club Hill. A mix of 1970s homes and large family dinners creates a recurring grease clog issue in many Club Hill kitchens.

Solving Garland Drain Clogs In Three Steps

The best drain repair call is the one you never have to make.

Steven and our team of licensed Master Plumbers built this 3-step action plan for Garland TX homeowners to avoid clogged drains and wastewater backups. Follow the steps, and you’ll stop most blocked drains before you need repairs.

1. Improve Your DIY Drain Maintenance Game

“There’s plenty you can do to protect your drains before you call a plumber,” Steven says. 

He recommends 4 simple changes to your DIY maintenance plan to improve your Garland home’s drainage and wastewater flow:

1. Stop using chemical drain cleaners. Chemical products don’t break down grease, and they burn holes in older metal pipes. Enzyme-based cleaners turn organic clogs into carbon dioxide, which harmlessly passes out into the city sewer system. They also continue eating fat and grease for up to 30 days after application.
2. Clean your P-traps once a year. P-traps are the U-shaped pipes under your sink. They retain a small amount of water to stop sewer smells from entering your house. Check out our simple 4-step guide to cleaning P-traps- it takes under 10 minutes. 
3. Flush waste and toilet paper only. Don’t flush Kleenex, hygiene products, hair, or paper towels. Even “flushable” baby wipes are no good.
4. Watch what you pour down the drain. Never pour cooking oil, fat or grease down the kitchen sink- you’ll lower your drain clog risk substantially. Keep coffee grounds, paint and acetone out too.

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2. Pick the Right Garland Drain Cleaning Service

“It’s easy to say get your drains cleared once a year,” Steven says. “But it’s all about the products and equipment your plumber uses.”

The prevalence of older cast iron drain pipes and grease clogs in Garland home plumbing systems means your licensed plumber must include these 3 offers in their drain cleaning service package:

1. Enzyme drain cleaners. Mother uses Endure, our top-rated enzyme drain cleaner for grease. We give you a free bottle with every drain cleaning service.
2. Precision professional augers. We bring gentler, more precise drain augers to Garland homes to protect the stability of aging cast iron drains.
3. A clog-free guarantee. Don’t pay for a plumber who won’t back their work. Mother’s drain specialists provide a 120 day no clogs guarantee on all clearing services. If the blockage returns within 120 days, we fix it for free.

3. Descale Your Cast Iron Pipes and Sewer Lines

Descaling cast iron pipes is a great idea for Garland’s 1970s homes with original plumbing. It eliminates the primary cause of buildup in local drains.

“Cast iron pipes break down because the interior is porous,” Steven explains. “Keep the inside surface smooth and there’s nowhere for clogs to cling on to.”

Get a drain camera inspection before your plumber starts. They must determine the health and stability of your pipe before choosing a descaling and sewer line cleaning option.

Stable pipes are great candidates for hydro jetting. Fragile pipes are best suited with chain knocking service.

Schedule service every 2-3 years on existing cast iron drains, based on your plumber’s recommendation.

Backed Up Drains in Garland? Call Mother 24/7

The “perfect storm” of aging cast iron pipes, mature trees and cooking by-products creates a high frequency of clogged drains in G-Town.

If your DIY drain clearing efforts failed and you’re sick of recurring clogs, Mother’s Garland specialists are here to help.

Call us 24/7 for expert, same day drain cleaning service anywhere in Garland.