5 Common Causes of Blocked Drains and How to Prevent Them

Blocked drains are a hassle that could disrupt your everyday life. They can cause the destruction of your home’s plumbing, unpleasant odours, and even health hazards. If they are not addressed promptly blocked drains may cause grave problems to the plumbing system, resulting in costly repairs or replacements.

Key Takeaways

• Blockages to drains can cause disruption to your daily life and lead to flooding, unpleasant odours and even health hazards.
• Grease, oil and fat accumulation can build up on the walls of pipes causing blockages. Do not pour grease down the drain, or use hot water and soap for cleaning dishes.
• Tree roots naturally extend themselves into the earth to seek nutrients which may cause significant damage and completely block pipes which can cause flooding. Ensure you maintain the trees surrounding drainage systems by trimming them.
• Wet wipes, towels, etc. can create unpleasant smells emanating around toilets/bin areas; only flush toilet paper down the drain.
• Hair

In this post, we’ll examine five of the most common reasons for blocked drains and ways to stop them from happening.

Cause 1. Grease, Oil and Fat Buildup

Fat, grease and oil could appear as harmless substances to flush down the drain, but over time they accumulate in the pipes’ walls the pipes, creating a blockage. As a result it is impossible for water to flow freely through drainpipes. The solution is to stop the practice of pouring grease down the drain. Or make use of hot water and soap during cleaning dishes, as this helps break down grease-based substances.

Cause 2. Tree Roots

In time, the tree roots naturally extend themselves into the ground seeking nutrients. This results in them growing toward underground pipes. Once they’re inside, the trees roots can cause a lot of damage and even stop them from flowing, causing flooding. It’s crucial, therefore, if you have trees around that you regularly maintain their growth in the drainage system by trimming the trees regularly.

Cause 3: Item that has been thrown away

It’s easy to think that flushing biodegradable products such as wet towels, sanitary wipes and so on. shouldn’t cause a lot of problems in the long term, but when too many of these items are put in the toilets, they’ll build up, pushing other items aside and in the way of pipes. This could cause a bad smell to be released around bins and toilets! Always be aware of what should be flushed and which shouldn’t (i. that only toilet paper is to be flushed).

Cause 4 Hair

Additional Information

• The Importance of Professional Drain Cleaning for Your Family's Health and Safety
• The Benefits of CCTV Drain Inspection: Beyond Unclogging Pipes
• What to Know about Pipe Relining Services for Blocked Drains
• Need help with your blocked drain? Find the perfect plumber
• CCTV Drain Inspections: The Key to Preventing Clogs and Other Plumbing Issues
• A Comprehensive Overview of CCTV Drain Inspection for Your Home
• The Risks of Unclogging Your Drains Without Professional Help
• Keeping Costly Drain Repairs at Bay with Routine Inspections
• Tips and Tricks for Fixing a Clogged Pipe with Ease
• DIY Drain Cleaning: How to Safely Tackle Clogged Drains