Did you know that blocked drains and pipes are the most common cause of water damage, accounting for 46% of insurance claims in Australia?
Blocked drains that cause the most problems and frustration are those found in your home when using your kitchen, bathrooms, and laundry. These will be linked to your sewer system.
Here are some of the factors that cause blocked drains in the home.
Fats and Food
Food and fats are notorious for clogging pipes. This is because fats tend to solidify when travelling down the drain and form a mass.
Always get rid of food scraps in the bin, not down the drain. If you have very oily residue in your pots, you could wipe them with absorbent kitchen paper before washing them. Make sure to use hot soapy water when washing dishes.
If you think your sink drain is clogged with fat residue, pour hot water and washing liquid down the drain to break it up. You can also combine bicarbonate soda and vinegar as a natural cleaning solution.
Tree and Plant Roots
The roots of plants and trees are one of the most frequent causes of blocked drains. Tree roots can access a waste pipe through a crack, or if the root system is sufficiently strong, it will break through the pipe’s wall.
Hair Blockages
Hair is often the cause of clogged showers in your home. A build-up of hair combined with conditioners and shampoos can make sludge in the drain bottom and cause it to get blocked.
If you use a drain cleaner, this sludge will break down. However, a professional plumber may need to use a sani-snake to remove the mass obstructing the path.
Waste-Water Drain Pipe Blockages
Blockages can sometimes be triggered by earth movement or by bad drain installation.
Using a drain camera is the best way to find out where a drain backs up or dips down.
Personal Sanitary Items
Items like sanitary pads and tampons should always be thrown away in the trash can and never down the toilet.
These items don’t break down in the water and they can wrap around other things in the sewer causing a significant blockage.
Keep the Flow Going!
When you have problems with your plumbing, drains, or sewer, you may need an emergency plumber immediately.
If you have a plumbing emergency, OP Plumbing services the Sutherland Shire and the St. George areas, on call to fix any plumbing problem at any time of day or night.
