While a clogged pipe or a blocked drain may seem like a minor issue, it can quickly escalate into a major problem if not dealt with immediately. Leaving a blocked drain can lead to slow water drainage, corrosion, flooding, and in serious cases sewage backup and expensive repairs. Prevention is key when it comes to stopping blocked drains, and prevention starts with recognising what’s causing the issues in the first place. Below are the top five reasons your drain could be blocked.
1. Hair
One of the main culprits for drain blockages is hair, as it can bind with grease and other sticky substances to form large clogs. No matter what kind of hair, it always has a way of gradually building up in your drains. Failure to nip this in the bud can lead to huge problems, as clogged hair will prevent water from passing freely in your pipes. Luckily there are certain tools and devices available on the market that can prevent hair from building up.
2. Food Waste
It is best to note that food waste should never go down the drain. While you may have a garbage disposal in your sink, you are better to set up a composting pile to get rid of your waste, as food scraps can also clog your drains. In particular, you should also be cautious of grease and oils as they can solidify inside your pipes. Absorbing your oils with paper towels and throwing them away in the compost will help keep your drains blockage-free.
3. Toiletries
Toiletries can be a huge problem. Anything from baby wipes, nappies, ear buds and feminine hygiene products can all block your drains. Most of these items become greatly swollen when immersed in water, as they are highly absorbent. Unlike toilet paper, they cannot disintegrate easily when being flushed down the toilet and will therefore get stuck in your pipes.
4. Tree Roots
If you have a small crack or leak in your pipe, it can start to attract tree roots as they search for water. Once they’ve reached the inside of your pipes they can quickly grow larger and will obstruct water flow and can cause pipe damage, resulting in costly repairs. Cleaning tree roots from your pipes needs to be done by a professional as it can be quite a complex process. To prevent blockages from tree roots it is best to keep your trees watered so that they don’t seek out your pipes as a source of moisture.
5. Foreign Objects
Sometimes random items can easily and unintentionally be dropped down the drain. For example, it could be any object or materials like soap or even jewellery. It may often be small children flushing anything they can get their hands on, including toys! Most of the time it can be something odd, but as to be expected, these objects will lead to the problem of a blocked drain.
Being mindful of these top five causes of a blocked drain will help prevent future blockages. If you think you may have a blocked drain or damage to your pipes, you should always contact an expert for professional advice. At Envirovac, we’ll help you inspect your drains using CCTV drain inspection cameras to get a closer look at the problems affecting the insides of your drains. To find out more about how we can help click here.