5 Common Causes of Blocked Drains and How to Prevent Them
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Blocked drains are a source of frustration which can cause a disruption in your daily life. They can lead to smelly water damage, bad odours, and even health risks. If not dealt with promptly blocked drains can lead to serious issues in your plumbing system, which can lead to expensive maintenance or repairs.
Key Takeaways
- Blocked drains can disrupt your routine and can cause the destruction of your home, bad smells and even health dangers.
- Oil, grease and fat accumulations can stick to the pipes’ walls causing blockages. Avoid pouring grease down drains or make use of hot water and soap to wash dishes.
- Tree roots naturally extend themselves into the soil to search for nutrients, which could cause serious damage, and also block the pipes completely leading to flooding; regularly keep trees in the vicinity of drainage systems by trimming them.
- Wet toiletries, wipes, etc. can create unpleasant smells emanating around toilets/bin areas; be sure to flush toilet paper down the drain.
- Hair
In this post, we’ll explore five reasons for blocked drains and what you can do to avoid them.
Cause 1. Grease, oil and Fat buildup
Fat, grease and oil might appear to be harmless substances to dump down the drain but as time passes, they build up on the walls of pipes causing a blockage. When this occurs it is impossible for water to flow freely through the drainpipes. It is best to avoid the practice of pouring grease into the drain. Alternatively, make use of hot water and soap during cleaning dishes, as this helps dissolve greasy substances.
Cause 2. Tree Roots
Over time tree roots naturally extend into the ground looking for nutrients. This leads to them expanding towards underground pipes. Once they’re inside, the tree roots could cause significant damage and even block them leading to flooding. It is therefore essential if you are near trees that you maintain the growth of your trees around drainage systems, by trimming them regularly.
Cause 3: Flushed items
It’s not difficult to conclude that flushing biodegradable products such as wet wipes, sanitary towels and so on. aren’t likely to cause major issues in the long term, However, when a lot of these products are flushed in toilets, they’ll pile up and push others away, in the way of pipes. This could cause unpleasant odors to emanate around bins and toilets! Be aware of what needs to be flushed, and what shouldn’t (i. e only toilet paper needs to be flushed away).
Cause 4 Hair
Additional Information
- Tips to Understand When it's Time to Pick Up the Phone for Professional Drain Cleaning
- The Dangers of Neglecting a Blocked Drain and What You Should Do
- Clearing a Jammed Shower Drain: Go through This Detailed Handbook
- How CCTV Drain Inspection Helps in Saving Time and Money on Plumbing Repairs?
- From A to Z Tricks for Cleaning Your Plumbing and Maintaining a Clog-Free House
- Quickly and Efficiently Clear Your Pipes with the Do-It-Yourself Guide
- End Clogged Pipes Now: Professional Tips to Try Immediately
- A Guide to Locating and Pinpointing a Obstructed Pipe
- When to Schedule a Professional Drain Cleaning Service
- The Benefits of CCTV Drain Inspection: Beyond Unclogging Pipes