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 water damage, bad odours, and even health risks. If not dealt with promptly blocked drains could cause grave problems to your plumbing system, which can lead to costly repair or even replacement.
Key Takeaways
- Blockages to drains can cause disruption to your routine and cause water damage, bad smells and even health dangers.
- Grease, oil and fat accumulation can build up on the pipes’ walls, causing obstructions; try not to pour grease down the drain, or use soap and hot water to wash dishes.
- The roots of trees naturally expand into the ground searching for nutrients. This can cause massive damages and blockages to pipes that can lead to flooding. Regularly maintain nearby trees around drainage systems by trimming them.
- Flushing non-biodegradable items like wet wipes, sanitary towels etc. could cause unpleasant odors emanating around toilets/bin areas; make sure to use toilet paper to flush down toilet.
- Hair
In this article, we will look at five common reasons for blocked drains and how you can stop them from happening.
Cause 1: Grease, Oil and Fat buildup
Oil, grease, and fat may appear like harmless materials to pour down the drain but they can build up in the pipes’ walls the pipes, causing the pipes to become blocked. In this case the water can’t flow freely through drainpipes. The best solution is to refrain from throwing grease down the drain. Or use soap and hot water while cleaning dishes since it can help dissolve greasy substances.
Cause 2. Tree Roots
As time passes, tree roots naturally expand into the soil looking for nutrients. This results in them growing toward underground pipes. Once inside these pipes tree roots could cause significant damage and even stop them from flowing, causing flooding. Therefore, it is essential that if have trees nearby to regularly monitor the growth of your trees in the drainage system by trimming them in a regular manner.
Cause 3: Unwanted items
It’s not difficult to conclude that flushing items that aren’t biodegradable like toilet paper, wet wipes and so on. aren’t likely to cause major issues over the long haul, However, when a lot of these items are put down toilets they will resultantly build up, pushing other items aside and blocking pipes – this can create unpleasant smells around bins and toilets! Always remember what should be flushed, and what shouldn’t (i. that only toilet paper needs to be flushed away).
Cause 4 Cause 4: Hair
Additional Information
- Don't Let These Common Mistakes Clog Your Pipes
- The Dangers of Using Chemical Drain Unblockers
- Learn How to Effortlessly Clear Your Clogged Drains with the Do-It-Yourself Guide
- The Ultimate Guide to Drain Clearing Services
- How to Choose between Different Types of Pipe Relining Materials (And Which One Is Right for You)
- Methods for Finding & Diagnosing a Blocked Drain
- Understanding CCTV Drain Inspection and the Benefits for Your Home
- Drains 101: Essential Tips for Keeping Your Pipes in Good Condition
- Drain Maintenance 101: 10 Simple Ways to Prevent Blockages in Your Home
- From Blocked to Unclogged: A Step-by-Step Tutorial to Fix Your Shower Drain