How To Fix Standing Water In Drain Pipe (Step-By-Step) -

When you look into a drain pipe, it can be disconcerting to notice standing water.

You may worry about a clog or damage to that part of the plumbing. Is it true that this is an issue?

Should there be standing water in a drain pipe?

Standing water in a drain pipe is perfectly normal. The water is there to help prevent sewage gas from entering into the property while also protecting it from other issues including pests. On the other hand, excess water should be removed by unclogging the drain. To do this, remove the cover, pick out the surface-level debris, and use a drain snake to unclog the drain.

You have to go through this process step-by-step to see results.

Please note, you do not have to remove all of the standing water in a drain pipe. This water is supposed to be there with a well-functioning drain pipe too!

However, what you need to account for is when the water is overflowing. This is not normal and something to fix.

This guide will teach you more about what to look for and what to do when trying to remove standing water in a drain pipe.

Table of Contents

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Steps To Remove Standing Water In Drain Pipe

1. Check the Water Level

If there is water sitting in a drain pipe, you will want to take a step back and check the water level.

In general, there is supposed to be standing water in a drain pipe and there’s nothing wrong with it.

The standing water is there as a protective element to ensure gases don’t flow back into the property.

You have to let the standing water be there as long as it is not overflowing. Once it starts overflowing, this means there is something wrong with the drain pipe that has to be fixed.

2. Remove Drain Cover

If you notice the water is overflowing, it’s time to remove the drain cover.

You will want to unscrew the drain pipe cover and begin to look at what’s going on at the surface level before working your way down into the pipe.

Tolerating standing water in a shower drain pipe is not good.

This will lead to a serious mess and stench that are hard to get rid of!

By removing the drain cover, you can begin to look at the debris near the surface while also going deeper into the drain to see what’s going on.

3. Pull Out Debris

The first step is to pull out the surface-level debris.

This can include hair or any other debris that has got trapped along the top of the drain pipe.

The reason for doing this is to make sure you have full access to the rest of the pipe going down into the ground.

The debris at the top can sometimes be a real issue leading to standing water.

4. Use Drain Snake

Next, you are going to take a drain snake and begin pushing deeper into the drain pipe.

The goal here is to see where the clog is.

If there is overflowing water coming from the drain pipe, this means there is a clog somewhere before the p-trap.

Look for that clog with the drain snake.

5. Don’t Empty The Drain!

The one thing you don’t want to do is empty the drain of its standing water.

Remember, standing water is a normal feature of a working drain pipe. Don’t attempt to drain it!

You have to be meticulous and make sure the water is not overflowing. If there’s a little bit standing inside the drain pipe then that is perfectly fine.

Should There Be Standing Water In Drain Pipe?

Yes, there should be standing water in a drain pipe. This is strategically done by plumbers to make sure sewage gasses don’t work their way into the property while also preventing rodents from crawling in.

Final Thoughts

These are the details to think about when removing standing water in a drain pipe.

Standing water in a drain pipe is perfectly normal. It’s done to prevent rodents from resting inside and sewage gases from flowing into the property. If the water is overflowing then there’s an underlying issue in the drain pipe. To fix this problem, remove the drain cover, pick up the surface-level debris, and use a drain snake to unclog the pipe.

This will take a few minutes but will ensure the standing water goes back to a more normal level.

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