Why Do My Drains Keep Getting Blocked
- Posted by:
- Admin
- Tags:
- Posted date:
- 07-09-2021
Causes of blocked drains
There are many reasons your drains blocking and it can often be hard to find where the problem originates from. In this article, we aim to inform you of the most common causes for blocked drains. Hopefully, with this information, you will be able to reduce the amount of blockage in your own drains.
Dead leaves or tree roots
Dead leaves and tree roots are common causes for blocked drains outside, especially throughout Autumn. Tree roots and flora can grow down or through pipes, causing them to become blocked. Performing regular garden maintenance is a good method of prevention for this type of drain blockage.
Bathroom products
Indoor blockages are often caused by disposing of objects down the toilet that the drainage system can't handle. This includes baby wipes, sanitary products, and bulkier, non-flushable items. Even flushable items can cause issues if flushed down the toilet in excess such as toilet paper. You can also look into the type of toilet paper you are using as they vary in thickness. If you are unsure, instead of putting something in the toilet, use the bathroom bin. If you have kids, it's best to make sure they aren't flushing random items down your toilet.
Hair
It can be hard to notice, but people shed a lot of hair throughout an average day. This problem is most prominent with showering as a lot of hair accumulates at once and finds its way into your drainage. To reduce hair causing blocked drains, make efforts to remove any you can see in and around your plughole whenever you shower. Hair can be a big nuisance, so make sure to stay on top of it.
Kitchen food and grease
Food waste, fat and grease are the main reason for your drains blocking from the Kitchen sink. Every time you wash up in your sink, food waste gets into the drains, and the build-up will cause blockages and corrosion. If you don't want to get blocked drains, make sure you scrape your plates as best as possible into the bin and tell the other household members to do the same. High-quality sink wash detergents will break down grease and cooking oils to prevent the drains from getting clogged. For drain cleaning, if you have access to baking soda you can fix the problem and unclog your drains (to a degree) yourself.
Heavy rain
The only thing worse than a whole day of heavy rain is how large of a blockage it can create in your drains. Here in the UK, most rain doesn't reach overwhelming amounts and your drains should be able to handle it. If you live in an area where it's common for seriously bad weather, consider calling a professional plumber for advice.
Broken pipes
Regardless of the strength of your pipes, fractures can always occur. There are many ways a pipe can be fractured and damaged and it's important you act when you think this has happened before the problem becomes worse. Cracked and fractured pipes are significantly more susceptible to blockages and, in turn, make the damage even worse. If you believe you might have a broken pipe you should contact a specialist to examine them for you. They will use a CCTV drains survey to diagnose your pipe problem. A camera, hooked up to a remote control centre, is fed down your drainage system to send footage of your pipes. Using this information, an expert can determine where exactly the cracks/blocked drains are. From here, the specialist can offer you advice or will replace or fix the pipe for you.
Poor pipe installation
Many people cheap out on plumbing as they would rather spend their budget on appliances and services they see as more important for their residence. Cheap pipe-to-sewer installations might use lower capacity pipes which restricts water flow. This can end up costing you a lot of money in the future when the cheap pipes inevitably break or cause blocked drains. Always choose a reputable company with a proven track record.
Preventing Overflowing Drains
The best way to prevent overflowing drainage is to act before it becomes a problem in the first place. If you regularly make efforts to clean your drains the build-up will never become extreme and there will be no need for a drain cleaning service. Of course, this isn't always true, sometimes drain blockages are unavoidable and you should be calling or looking online for professional services to take care of it for you.
If you believe there is some build-up of gunk in your sink (and you have a couple of hours to spare) you can try some of the following to free it:
- Firstly, you can put the plug in and fill the sink with hot water and then release it. This will wash away some of the substances stuck to the insides of the pipes.
- Secondly, you can use a drain plunger. This will help loosen any clogs. Pouring a mix of vinegar and baking powder, followed by hot water, will thoroughly clean your drain and the chemicals will break down objects inside it.
- To remove hair, you can use an unbent wire coat hanger or a drain snake. Guide the drain snake into and down the drain until you feel resistance. Rotate it until the snake no longer feels stuck and then bring it back and it should have the clog attached to it (if you do not see the clog, it has likely flushed down the drain after being moved). After doing this, run water full force down your drain to ensure the drain is unclogged.
Kitchen
As previously mentioned, many things in your kitchen can become a major problem for your drains if not dealt with. This includes substances and food such as eggshells and fibrous food. If you allow these substances to fill up your drain it could lead to a drain fly infestation. Be mindful of anything that might go near your sink. Even small things like coffee grounds contribute to overflowing drains as they don't break down, similar to other food substances.
Bathroom
Soap is a big culprit when it comes to blockages in the bathroom. Many soaps use grease or fat, which shouldn't be washed down your drains. Make sure you read the ingredients of your soap on the label or packaging. Some soap is often harmless on its own. However, when combined with hair and other related substances such as cotton wool, it can form into clumps which have the potential to clog your drains.
Outdoor drainage
Throughout the year you will likely get a lot of foreign objects filling your outdoor drains. This includes leaves, tree roots, plants, and dirt. In order to prevent these drains from overflowing you should routinely clean them out using a garden hose and even your hands as long as u can reach the drains and use gloves. Additionally, you can purchase outdoor drain covers. These are grates that you place over the drain openings in order to stop litter, leaves and any other debris from finding its way in and causing blockages.
Do you require emergency help with blocked drains in Redcar, Darlington, Hartlepool or East Cleveland? Our drain unblocking services can quickly and effectively deal with your drainage problems.