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What’s Causing Blocked Drains & Warning Signs You Must Not Ignore

July 31, 2020

Sudden drain blockages are a nuisance and are usually caused by lack of cleaning or callousness when it comes to putting unwanted things down the pipes. Slow and sluggish drains are a common household problem and can be very frustrating if left alone.

Often there will be warning signs that will help you identify that you have slow drains. If not fixed in time, slow drains can soon lead to major blockages requiring the intervention of a professional plumber Adelaide. Here are four early detection signs that we want to share with you so you and your family don’t end up with the inconvenience, stress, hassle and cost of a emergency blocked drains Adelaide.

Some common signs of sluggish drains in your house could be:

  • A slowly draining sink or bathtub
  • Audible gurgling sounds coming from the drains
  • Changing water levels in your toilet, sink or shower
  • Bad smells coming from the drains

Common Bathroom, Toilet & Kitchen Drain Issues And Why Do They Happen

So, what causes our drains to get blocked and what are some of the things we can do to prevent it from happening?

BATHROOM: Body and head hair is the most common reason for blocked shower drains. Often people are unaware that shaving in the shower or head hair that falls off during washing falls into the drain and binds to all the soap, waxes etc. in the pipe that leads to a clog or beginning of a blockage. Additionally, bathroom sinks get clogged more often from toothpaste, soaps, facial hair, cosmetic products, creams from washing your hands, etc. These substances bind together and block the pipes leading to bad smells emanating from the pipes and slow draining sink that can be a problem in any household.

Solution: You can avoid bathroom drains from blocking by taking precautionary measures and practicing regular manual clearing of hair that collects over shower drains. As a good measure, you can install a double drain system to trap excess hair from washing down your bathroom pipes. This small plumbing Adelaide hack will drastically help in reducing the chances of hair clogging your drain. When it comes to the bathroom sink, it is encouraged that you clean it regularly. Use an environment-friendly drain cleaner to keep the pipes clog-free and water flowing smoothly.

TOILET: Toiletry and sanitary items tossed down toilets can be catastrophic for your drainage system. Be cautious of mindlessly flushing diapers, nappies, sanitary napkins, baby wipes, napkins, etc. as these are highly absorbent and double in size inside the drains causing blockages fairly quickly.

Solution: The only way that you can put a stop to the toilet blockages and the accompanying mess is by disposing of the toiletries in a separate bin or garbage. Stop putting these down the drain altogether if you want a smoothly running toilet.

KITCHEN: When it comes to your kitchen sinks, it is the food waste, grease, fats and oils that cause common kitchen sink blockages. This is a common, nasty cause of clogged drains and pipes. Similar to hair, grease does not clog the system instantly, therefore it’s easy to ignore. The thick, fatty oil residue collects on the sides of the pipes and traps food particles creating a clog to a point where no liquid can pass. Before you know, the grease and oil build up in your kitchen pipes blocking the system causing an extremely tough clog.

Solution: For smoothly running kitchen pipes it is recommended that you do not put anything down your kitchen sink drains, this will not only minimise blockages but also reduce pungent smells that come up from the pipes because of raw foods that have fallen into the drain. Try your best to avoid washing fatty food and oil remnants down the drain. You can also install grease traps in the piping to catch the fat before it gets into the sewer pipes.

So, now that you understand some common reasons why your drains get clogged it essential to try to minimise what you put into your pipes. For more information or to clear out a blocked drains Adelaide in your house contact John of Anytime Plumbing Adelaide on 0499 913 174 today.