Why is my plumbing gurgling?

Why is my plumbing gurgling?

Strange gurgling or burping sounds emanating from your home's plumbing can point to a potential problem within the drain system. The sounds are usually associated with slowly draining toilets, tubs and sinks. Slow-draining systems are prone to complete backups, which could cause damage to your home. Avoid the additional headaches and costs — repair your drain system before it fails.

Vent stacks

Plumbing vents — the stacks you see protruding through your roof — are a critical component in your home's drainage. The strategically placed vents provide adequate airflow for your plumbing to drain properly. If the vents become clogged, the reduced airflow makes your plumbing drain slowly, causing strange noises as it gasps for air.

Gurgling sounds also can happen when large objects pass through the system or the diameter of the pipe is inadequate. Flushing large objects through the system may create a high-pressure zone in front of the object. When this happens, the high-pressure zone pushes air out of fixture traps, causing the strange sounds.

Solutions

Leaves, twigs and other debris often fall into a vent stack and create a blockage. Clearing a blocked vent stack requires that it be snaked and the blockage removed. After clearing the line, your home's plumbing system can breathe again; this should reduce or eliminate the sounds.

To prevent high-pressure zones, reduce the amount of waste — toilet paper — flushed through the system whenever possible. You can also reduce the flushing power of the toilet to slow down the water. Severe cases may require increasing the diameter of the drainpipe. This is especially common in homes with older plumbing where sediment has built up over time, reducing the diameter of drainpipes.

Prevention

Install wire screens over your vent stacks to prevent blockages. This simple solution will prevent leaves and other organic matter from clogging them. You should also schedule an annual cleaning with a professional plumber who specializes in hydro jetting. Hydro jetting uses high-pressure streams of water to clean the inside of your drain lines. By removing the built-up sediment and debris, your plumbing will drain more easily, reducing the chance of gurgling.

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7/21/22

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I needed to service my septic tank prior to sodding my backyard. I called 2 other companies prior to RooterPLUS, Both showed up with equipment that couldn't do the job. With only a couple day window available, RooterPLUS came through for me the next morning with the right equipment and a professional and pleasant crew.

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9/7/21

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9/23/20

Neighborhood rockstars We had an issue in my neighborhood where a water main pipe burst, leaving a giant mess of a leak spewing into the street. We called numerous plumbing companies who all said they couldn't get out in a timely manner. RooterPlus! said no problem, we'll be out asap.Josh...

Neighborhood rockstars

We had an issue in my neighborhood where a water main pipe burst, leaving a giant mess of a leak spewing into the street. We called numerous plumbing companies who all said they couldn't get out in a timely manner. RooterPlus! said no problem, we'll be out asap.Josh came out, assessed the situation and said he had to go get some more supplies. He came back with the necessary supplies and got to work. And he worked and worked and worked from 6pm until 4:30 am! He had to call in reinforcements (Josh 2) and they worked hard as a team to repair the issue. Then they came back out only 5 hours later to put the finishing touches on the job.I think I speak for the entire neighborhood when we say THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH for being absolute rockstars and getting our neighborhood back up and running.


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