5 Causes of Blocked Drains and When to Call for Help

In Australia, blocked drains can happen to anyone to varying degrees, sometimes causing flooding at home or communities. But regardless of how small the drain is, you definitely should not ignore it. Even the smallest problem can get worse if neglected. When it comes to clogged drains, you’ll want to know everything from how to prevent it, what to do at home to unclog minor blockages, and lastly,when to call for professional help.

Causes of Blocked Drains

The best way to prevent blocked drains is to know the causes and then avoid them from happening. Here are the leading causes of clogged drains:

Solid food waste

Perhaps the main cause of blocked drains across homes and communities, especially in the suburbs of Sydney, are solid food wastes that have accumulated. Specifically, we’re looking at fats, oil, and grease (FOG) wastes, which often stick to the pipes and catch a variety of other food wastes and foreign objects and completely block the water flow.

You can avoid this kind of problem at home by ensuring every food waste is thrown in the proper bin. Never pour any sort of oil and grease directly on your sink.

Improper waste disposal

Another reason behind blocked drains is the improper disposal of wastes. For instance, in the streets of Rosebery, people would often throw water bottles in drains or leave them in the street until rainwater brings them to gutters where they accumulate and block drains. The same thing happens at home when we throw wrappers, baby wipes, napkins, kitchen rolls, and a wide variety of waste down our sinks.

To address this problem, you can get a regular drain cleaning service from plumbers in Rosebery area to clean out whatever waste accumulates in your drain. And of course, never throw anything solid down your sink or toilet, regardless of whether the products are marketed as “flushable.”

Accumulation of hair, dirt, and soap

At home, one of the biggest causes of blocked drains in bathrooms is hair and soap. Whenever we take a bath, some strands of our hair would fall, and they would directly go down the drain. They could cause minor blockages, especially when there’s already an accumulation of soap scum, which comes from the fat from soap (traditional soaps are made from fat or grease) and minerals in the water. Once soap scums accumulate, they will catch other objects faster, including hair.

One way to avoid this problem is always to have drain guards that catch these foreign objects where you can throw them properly in garbage bins. Before you go inside your home or wash clothes, make sure you share off excess dirt and dust to prevent them from blocking drains.

Tree roots

Even the smallest of cracks in your plumbing system may attract a tree root that would slither its way inside the pipe where water is abundant. Once it gets enough water and nutrients, it would grow and may cause an obstruction in your plumbing system.

The best thing you can do in this case is to hire a professional to help you clear out the roots and replace the pipes since tree root intrusion seriously damages your lines.

Nevertheless, tree roots, twigs, branches, and leaves may also find its way to your plumbing system or drain after a massive storm. Have it checked after a huge storm by a drain cleaning Sydney professional.

How to Fix Minor Clogs

When it comes to minor clogs in your bathroom or kitchen sinks and drains, you can try to remedy it with a couple of methods, from pouring boiling water directly to the drain or using the vinegar and baking soda solution. You can also use a hand plunger, which should be enough to remove solid objects from blocking the drains. If you have a small, hand-operated “snake” or auger, the better.

When to Call for Professional Help

Although the DIY approach is rather effective for minor blockages, you’ll have extreme difficulty trying to fix significant blockages or tree root intrusions. If any of the DIY repairs are not working and you don’t have the right tools, call a professional plumber for help. They have the right equipment, knowledge, and skills to fix the problem.

Blocked drains are among the most common plumbing issues anyone would experience, but you can avoid blocking your drains by always being mindful of what you put down the drain and having it regularly cleaned by a professional.