Summary:

To deal with drain clogs in apartment buildings, act fast and avoid DIY fixes. Tell tenants to stop using the water temporarily in the affected unit(s) and call a professional right away. Licensed plumbers have access to special cameras that can diagnose the problem and hydrojetting machines to locate and clear the blockage safely without causing damage. Common causes include grease buildup, tenants flushing wipes and other non-biodegradable materials, skipping repairs, hard water scale, and tree root intrusions.

How to Deal with Drain Stoppages and Clogs in Apartment Buildings

Time to Read	~7–8 minutes
What You’ll Learn	The top causes of drain stoppages in apartment buildings Warning signs that indicate an emergency vs. a minor clog Why DIY fixes don’t work in multi-unit plumbing systems How professional plumbers diagnose and clear blockages What to do before a plumber arrives to prevent further damage
Next Steps	Call Caccia immediately if drain issues are present Schedule annual inspections to prevent future clogs Educate tenants not to flush or pour harmful materials Document all plumbing fixes for insurance and tax write-offs

Nothing strikes fear into the heart of a property manager like hearing that a drain is clogged in a tenant’s apartment or condo. That’s because what initially looks like an isolated issue can actually be a red flag for much more serious problems further down the line.

You really can’t ignore headaches like these or try to DIY fix them on your own because there’s just too much at stake. A serious backup can leave multiple units uninhabitable, and in most Bay Area neighborhoods, that means footing the bill for tenants to stay in a hotel. Your best bet in these cases is professional apartment plumbing.

If this is an emergency or you need help now, contact us right away at (650) 294-8551. Keep reading to find out the most common causes, warning signs, and reasons to call a pro.

The Top 9 Causes of Apartment Drain Stoppages

Apartment and condo plumbing systems tend to wear out faster because they deal with a lot more demand than single-family homes. While this naturally raises the risk for failures by comparison, issues like slow drains and blockages are almost always related to outside influences instead (human or otherwise).

Learn More: Tips & Tricks to Fix Your Slow Drain Problem

The top 9 issues we see the most often are:

1. Non-flushable items like baby wipes or toys getting stuck in pipes
2. Fats, grease, and oils (FOGs) solidifying into a blockage in the sewage line
3. Scale and mineral buildup blocking pipes in areas with very hard water
4. Tree root intrusion on properties with willows, silver maples, and other large trees
5. Collapsed or cracked pipes that fall out of position and block the line
6. Soap scum and hair build-up from shower drains with missing drain filters
7. Very old pipes that haven’t been maintained correctly or need to be replaced
8. Failing backwater valves that don’t stop greywater from coming back into your home
9. Heavy rain or flooding in the area, which is more common along the coast

The good news, here, is that all of these can be prevented with the right maintenance and care. As a property owner, scheduling yearly inspections staying on top of repairs will protect your bottom line and keep your residents happy. That means a better reputation for you and less hassle for them.

Why is Ignoring Stoppages So Serious?

When a drain gets partially blocked, water flow slows down and pressure starts building up behind the obstruction. If the water has nowhere else to go, it will try to follow the path of least resistance instead, and unfortunately, that’s usually ground-floor toilets or the sump pump drain in the basement.

See the diagram below:

Stagnant water is a breeding ground for bacteria and can actually corrode the inside of your pipes if it stays in one place for too long. But more importantly, no tenant is going to be happy if they have to deal with a flooded apartment full of sewage wrecking their belongings.

When is a Clog or Stoppage an Emergency?

While drain stoppages are inherently higher risk in multi-unit buildings, some incidents really are minor. If you’re only getting calls about them once a year or less, and the tenant can clear them easily with a few plunges, they likely just had a partial clog just past the bowl or drain.

Red flags like these suggest there’s something bigger going on:

• Slow drains throughout the entire unit (or multiple units)
• Loud gurgling or bubbling sounds when flushing or running water
• Sewage smells anywhere in the building, but especially on lower floors
• Standing water in any area of the building and/or water leaking from ceilings
• Drains that keep clogging over and over again despite plumbing or snaking

Call us for help if you see any of these signs so we can diagnose the problem and figure out how to treat it without causing more problems. Treat standing water that’s high enough to reach outlets, serious flooding, and sewage backups as a true plumbing emergency.

Why DIY Fixes Aren’t Recommended For Drain Clogs

In a residential home, it’s usually safe to try home remedies like vinegar and baking soda or non-pressurized plumbing snakes. They aren’t enough to cut through serious clogs in apartment buildings on their own. Licensed plumbers have access to tools that make the job easier and safer for everyone.

How Caccia’s Plumbers Diagnose Clogs

When you call for service at your apartment, our customer service agents will start by asking you a few questions, like what you’re experiencing and when it started. In some cases, we might ask you to connect us with the tenant so we can get more info (with their permission, of course).

For serious stoppages, a camera inspection is usually the next step.

Here’s how it works:

• We insert a thin, flexible cable with a camera on the end into the affected drain.
• The cable is just rigid enough to easily navigate pipes and corners without folding over on itself.
• A small monitor connected to the cable lets us watch video of it progressing in real-time.
• This allows us to pinpoint the location and cause of the blockage and measure how far in it is.
• If possible, we’ll navigate past the blockage to check for cracks, sagging, or root growth.

Camera inspection is fast, safe, non-destructive, and gives you a clear answer about what’s really going on in your pipes. It’s the best way to accurately diagnose the problem the first time around so you can get it fixed and prevent the problem from re-occurring.

Learn More: 5 Sewer Problems Only a Sewer Camera Can Find

Special Tools and Procedures for Clearing the Line

Caccia’s licensed plumbers use advanced tools you won’t find at your hardware store to safely clear the lines in apartment buildings and other multi-unit setups. 

Some of the most common include:

• Infrared cameras that help us map out your sewer line or pipe from above ground.
• Powered drain snakes (sometimes called augers) that use pressure to break through clogs.
• Hydrojetting, which forces water through the pipes and scrubs the interior clear in the process.
• Special root-cutting attachments that can navigate pipes and slice through any tree intrusions.
• Sectional drain machines with extendable cables for blockages deep in the system.

Hydrojetting is usually the top choice because it has a low risk for incidental damage when handled correctly. We don’t recommend buying any of these for your maintenance team unless you have a licensed plumber on staff who knows how to operate them.

What to Do Before The Plumber Arrives

Acting quickly before help arrives can prevent a minor clog from turning into a sewage backup that affects the entire building. If you’re a renter, your first step should be to contact your landlord or property manager right away so they can coordinate with a plumber.

If you own the building:

• Ask residents to stop using water in the affected unit(s) right away.
• Tell them not to use any chemical drain cleaners (or to stop using them).
• Clear the area near the problem so your plumber has easy access to it.
• Make sure the resident will be home when we arrive to service the plumbing.

If the problem seems isolated to a single fixture within a unit, like a toilet, either you or the tenant can try gently plunging to see if it frees up the line. Stop and wait for us if you don’t have any luck or you’re getting serious resistance with every push.

Get Fast, Reliable Help 24/7 With Caccia

Apartment owners and building managers have enough headaches to deal with. Being unable to get fast help 24/7 in the middle of a plumbing emergency shouldn’t be one of them. Our licensed plumbers are available around the clock, including on most holidays and weekends, and are always happy to assist.

We also know how important it is for people in real estate to keep costs low and record what they spend on repairs. You’ll get a transparent, up-front quote on a fix and full documentation for your records so you can save by writing it off as a business expense at tax time. Contact Caccia Home Services now!