Causes of Blocked Drains

Blocked drains are a smelly, dirty problem which no homeowner ever wants to have to deal with. Many homes every year have the problem of not being able to drain sinks effectively or having water flowing back into the toilet when it is flushed, and have no alternative but to call in the plumber to unblock their drains. Although in some instances blocked drains are inevitable, most of the causes of blocked drains can be easily avoided with some simple changes to the way we live our everyday lives.

Leaves

One of the major causes of blocked drains in the UK is vegetation such as fallen leaves, twigs and grass cuttings. These get into the drains and then pile up to form a hard blockage which cannot be washed away over time. It is however very easy to stop leaves getting into your drains in the first place. Before autumn comes, check that all external drains around your home or in the garden are covered with a mesh to allow water to drain away but to stop leaves falling in too. Pay especial attention to drains at the base of guttering. When the leaves do start to fall from the trees, sweep them up regularly and either compost them or put them out for collection with the garden rubbish.

Fat and Grease

Most of us wash greasy residue from cooking down the sink without a second thought, but once in the pipes the grease and fat sticks to the sides of the pipe then can solidify and form a huge blockage. It is relatively easy though to prevent this from happening. If you have a large quantity of grease or fat to dispose of, wait until it has hardened and scrape it into the bin rather than using water to wash it off into the pipes. Very strong chemicals which are used in sink unblocking products may help dissolve fat which has stuck to the pipes in your home, but are going to have little effect on the larger pipes outside.  Recently a team of sewerage workers in London took an impressive 3 weeks to remove a huge ball of grease that had a blocked up pipework, the report suggests that it was the size of a bus.

Hair

We all lose hair every day, and if there are several people with long hair all having a shower every day, it is easy to see how plug holes and pipes can become blocked. Hair clumps together and forms balls along with soap scum and if the ball gets big enough it can stop water draining away completely. If you think this may be a problem in your home it is a good idea to invest in the small wire mesh plughole covers which prevent hair from going down the drain in the first place. Many experts also advise pouring a small quantity of bleach into your shower drain every week to prevent a build-up of soap scum.

Foreign Objects

Although we know we probably shouldn't, many of us are still flushing items down the toilet which should be put into the bin. Even small items like cotton buds or tampons can cause a blockage in the drains over time, and larger items like nappies should never be flushed either. Keep a supply of nappy sacks in the bathroom to make the hygienic disposal of nappies, wipes, sanitary items or cotton buds easy, and always throw these items in the bin rather than flushing them into the toilet. Children in particular are fascinated with the toilet, and have been known to flush anything and everything down the loo. Apart from encouraging your child not to flush teddy away, if this happens and causes a blockage, it is best to get the experts in rather than trying to fix the problem yourself.

Dealing with a Blockage

If your drains have become blocked and water is either not draining away or is being pushed back into the house, call a professional plumber immediately. A plumber has the correct tools to remove the U-bend, find the blockages and put everything back together. If the blockage is in the larger pipes outside the house, the specialist drain companies with their high-pressure hoses and telescopic rods are the best people to call. Never run taps or flush toilets until your problem with blocked drains has been fully resolved. You can even let your local council know about a blockage.

Image courtesy of http://www.directplumbingsolutions.com/