Is Your Drain Clogged? Here’s How to Tell—and What You Can Do About It

A slow-draining sink, water pooling in the shower, or an odd smell coming from your kitchen drain—these are more than just everyday annoyances. They’re early warning signs of a clogged drain. At Rapid Response Plumbing, we help homeowners in the Indianapolis area deal with these problems fast, clean, and right the first time.

But how can you tell when it’s time to call us? And what should you be doing to prevent clogs in the first place?

Signs You May Have a Clogged Drain

Clogs rarely happen all at once. Here are some common signs that your drain may be on its way to a full blockage:

• Slow drainage in sinks, tubs, or showers

• Gurgling sounds from drains or toilets

• Standing water in fixtures

• Bad odors coming from the disposal or drain

• Water backing up into other drains when using appliances (like the kitchen sink when running the dishwasher)

If you’re noticing one or more of these, it’s time to take action before a minor issue becomes a plumbing emergency.

What Causes Drain Clogs?

One of the biggest culprits in clogged kitchen drains? The garbage disposal. Most people don’t realize that disposals don’t actually “blend” food with blades like in horror movies. They use a cheese grater-like ring and swivel hammers to mash food against the sides. This works well for small bits, but large amounts of food—or certain types of food—can spell trouble.

Pasta, for example, is a major offender. It often passes through the disposal nearly whole and swells in the pipes, packing in tight and causing serious blockages. We’ve cleared out full noodles and macaroni packed solid in customers’ drains more times than we can count.

How to Properly Use Your Garbage Disposal

To keep your disposal and drains in good shape:

• Scrape most food waste into the trash, especially pasta, rice, eggshells, and fibrous vegetables.

• Use your disposal for small leftover bits.

• Always run COLD water while using the disposal and for 30–60 seconds afterward to help flush the particles through. Cold water keeps food more solid, helping it move down the pipes instead of sticking.

• Avoid hot water during disposal use—it softens food and makes it more likely to cling to the pipe walls.

How Rapid Response Plumbing Fixes Clogged Drains

If you’ve already got a clog or slow drain, don’t worry—we’ve got you covered with several effective solutions:

• Drain Cleaning: Using high-powered equipment, we break up and clear out buildup, grease, and debris.

• Drain Descaling: For older or metal pipes, our descaling tools remove years of scale and corrosion that can trap debris.

• Hydro Jetting: For the toughest clogs and heavily built-up pipes, hydro jetting is the ultimate solution. This process uses a high-pressure stream of water to blast away grease, sludge, tree roots, and years of buildup inside your pipes—restoring them to like-new condition. It’s safe for most plumbing systems and one of the most effective ways to ensure long-term drainage performance.

• Total-C Drain Treatment: This powerful citrus-based enzyme cleaner eats away organic buildup and grease, keeps your drains flowing longer, and makes your disposal smell fresh.

We also recommend using Total-C as a monthly treatment—even after your drains are cleaned—to keep things running smooth and odor-free.

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Don’t Wait for a Full Blockage

Whether it’s a slow drain or a full backup, Rapid Response Plumbing is ready 24/7 to help. Our drain experts will inspect, diagnose, and clear your lines quickly and affordably.

Need help now? Contact us today or schedule a service online!