5 Common Causes of Blocked Drains and How to Prevent Them

Posted by Adelaide Blocked Drains Plumbing on 3 May 2026

Blocked drains can be a nuisance which can cause a disruption in your daily life. They could cause smelly water damage, bad smells, and even health risks. If not dealt with promptly, blocked drains can cause serious problems in the plumbing system, leading to expensive maintenance or repairs.

Key Takeaways

  • Blockages to drains can cause disruption to your routine and can lead to flooding, unpleasant odours and even health hazards.
  • Fat, oil and grease accumulation can build up on the pipes’ walls causing obstructions; try not to pour grease down the drain. Alternatively, use soap and hot water to wash dishes.
  • The roots of trees naturally expand into the soil to search for nutrients, which could cause serious damage and completely block pipes and cause flooding. It is important to regularly maintain the trees surrounding drainage systems by pruning them.
  • Flushing non-biodegradable items like wet toiletries, wipes, etc. can result in nasty smells that can be detected around bins and toilets; make sure to use toilet paper to flush down toilet.
  • Hair

In this post, we’ll explore five causes of blocked drains and ways to prevent them from happening.

Cause 1. Grease, oil and Fat Buildup

Grease, oil and fat may seem like harmless substances to pour down the drain but over time they accumulate on the walls of pipes, which causes an obstruction. In this case then water cannot move freely through the drainpipes. The best solution is to refrain from the practice of pouring grease down the drain or make use of hot water and soap when cleaning dishes as it helps dissolve greasy substances.

Cause 2: Tree Roots

Over time tree roots naturally extend their roots into the earth seeking nutrients. This implies that they expand towards underground pipes. Once they are inside the pipes, tree roots can cause massive damage and may completely stop them from flowing, causing flooding. It is therefore essential if you have trees in the vicinity to regularly monitor their growth around drainage systems by pruning the trees regularly.

Cause 3: Flushed items

It’s easy to assume that flushing biodegradable products such as wet towels, sanitary wipes and so on. will not cause any major problems in the long run However, if a large amount of these products are flushed in toilets, they’ll pile up and push others away, that block pipes. This can cause unpleasant odors to emanate around the toilets and bins too! Always be aware of what should be flushed and which shouldn’t (i. that only toilet papers should be flushed).

Cause 4 Cause 4: Hair

Additional Information

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Are you experiencing a clogged toilet, blocked shower drain, overflowing drains or an issue with your kitchen sink? We can help you sort out your drain blockage problem quickly and provide the following services:

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Clearing blocked drains can be difficult and it’s best to get a professional plumbing service involved to tackle it for you, To get your blocked drain in Adelaide cleared today, contact Adelaide Blocked Drains Plumbing now and speak to one of our friendly team members.

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