The most common causes of blocked drains

Blocked drains are a giant nuisance. They can be messy and quite disruptive, and a lot of the time you aren’t even sure what is causing it. Whether your kitchen sink just isn’t draining like it should (and you are sure there aren’t any full vegetables that have made their way down there), the bathtub water is still sitting in the bottom of the bath (even though the plug is out) or your toilet water is a lot higher than it should be (yes, we know it’s a bit gross), there could be a range of reasons as to why the pipes in your home just aren’t acting as they should.

What causes blocked drains?

There isn’t just one thing that causes a clog in a drain - from food to hair to tree roots, there is a range of natural and man-made blockages that can occur in your home’s piping. We have listed just a few of the common ones here - if you need any more information, call Reline Solutions on 0403 355 550 and they can help further.

Grease and fat

One of the most common blocked drain scenarios around, but one of the easiest to avoid is a build-up of grease and fat in your home’s pipes. The most common cause of grease and fat is either food residue or soaps, which start to get hard and attach themselves to the inside of the piping walls over time. If this is left for too long, a grease/fat blockage can be tough to remove, so try and run hot water down your drains regularly to avoid it.

Hair

This may sound gross, but you would be amazed at how quickly hair can build up and cause a blockage. From your wife washing her hair to you shaving your beard to the dog having a wash in the tub… and all of a sudden, you have a hair obstruction that just won’t budge. The problem with hair blockages is that they attract grease and grime, which means they attach themselves to the sides of the drain over time and can be quite tricky to remove (and can smell awful too).

Broken pipes

Pipes which are cracked or broken are not only a nuisance in themselves but can allow tree roots and dirt to make their way in and cause additional issues. This includes a blockage or even a hole in the ground above the cracked area due to dirt constantly making its way into the pipes.

Foreign objects

Food waste

A really common cause of blocked drains, especially kitchen sinks, is food waste. It could simply be an accumulation of food scraps and lunch leftovers, but that’s all it takes. If possible, use a sink strainer to stop excess food from making its way down the sink.

Toys

Toys get ‘accidentally’ flushed down the toilet or make their way down the sink more often than you’d realise. Make sure you keep track of a few of those wayward toys, just to ensure they don’t ‘disappear’ one day!

Baby products

Nappies are designed to retain water and expand - which is not ideal in an enclosed drain pipe - and baby products such as baby wipes are not to be placed down the sink either. They only cause obstructions and stop water flowing through, so put them in the bin.

Toilet paper

You are probably thinking this is a funny one, as toilet paper is designed to be placed down the toilet, however, large amounts of toilet paper can cause blockages. Always flush small amounts, not huge amounts, to avoid a blocked toilet.

Feminine products

Just like nappies, feminine hygiene products such as sanitary napkins and tampons are designed to absorb liquid and expand. This means they should never be placed down any drain and instead be put into a bin, to prevent a blocked drain.

Trees and leaves

Another common occurrence is when tree roots make their way into piping and crack them (and cause a blockage if they are left too long). Additionally, leaves can quickly accumulate and clog up drains, so ensure you regularly complete garden maintenance.

Defective workmanship

It is sometimes the case that when the plumbing in your home was installed, it was not done correctly which can cause problems later on. From incorrect piping size to incorrectly laid pipes to inappropriate drain types, the way in which water flows through the pipes in your home may be affected. To hopefully avoid this, always ask to see your plumber's qualifications before they commence the job!

Build-up of minerals

And finally, mineral build-up can occur if you live in an area which has hard water. If this is the reason why you have a blocked drain, you will be required to call in a local professional, as minerals cause backed-up water flow and obstructions that you will be unable to tackle yourself.

What do you do if you have a blocked drain?

Look, you can check out a YouTube clip and see if you can fix it yourself - plenty of people do - but realistically if you are in any way unsure as to what is blocking the drain and where the blockage is, it is best to just call in your local drain specialist for a little bit of help. They are qualified to do exactly that - help with the plumbing in your home - and likely have the experience and tools needed to quickly fix things. There’s nothing worse than trying to fix the issue on your own, only to find you have made the problem worse... so sometimes, it is best to leave it to the professionals.

Can blocked drains be prevented?

Preventing blocked drains is much easier than having to remove a blockage, so make sure you try and do a few of the following to avoid nasty clogged pipes in your home :

• Ensure the drains in your home are regularly cleaned
• This may seem like an obvious one, but use your fixtures just as they were intended to be used! Use a sink as a sink, a toilet as a toilet and a dishwasher as a dishwasher… If you don’t, that’s when issues arise
• Refrain from pouring either fats or oils down your sink at any time
• When placing toilet paper down the toilet, only put small bits at a time to avoid blockages

These are only a few options - speak to your local blocked drain plumber specialist for more information.

Your local blocked drain specialists

If you have any questions regarding blocked drains, how they can be prevented or you need some assistance with a clogged drain in your home, give Reline Solutions a call on 0403 355 550 or complete an online job enquiry form now. We are the experts when it comes to blocked drains, so get in contact today!

Resources :

Government of W.A - Department of Health (Domestic wastewater overflows) : https://www.healthywa.wa.gov.au/Articles/A_E/Domestic-wastewater-overflows

Australian Government - Department of Health (7 Unblocking of pipes and fixtures) : https://www.health.gov.au/internet/publications/publishing.nsf/Content/ohp-enhealth-manual-atsi-cnt-l~ohp-enhealth-manual-atsi-cnt-l-ch2~ohp-enhealth-manual-atsi-cnt-l-ch2.7

SA Water (Sewer blockages and overflows) : https://www.health.gov.au/internet/publications/publishing.nsf/Content/ohp-enhealth-manual-atsi-cnt-l~ohp-enhealth-manual-atsi-cnt-l-ch2~ohp-enhealth-manual-atsi-cnt-l-ch2.7

BaronWater (Sewer blockages) : https://www.barwonwater.vic.gov.au/water-and-waste/sewage/sewer-blockages