Dealing With Blocked Drains

Blocked drains in your home or place of business can often be problem situations that can be very frustrating if left alone. Often, there will be warning signs that will help you identify that you are dealing with a blockage in your sink or shower drainage. These can include audible gurgling sounds from trapped air being released, rapidly or slowly changing water level in your toilet, sink or shower, and bad smells coming from the drain.

There are many different things that can cause a drain to become blocked. This includes:

• Blockages of hair and other organic materials may cause the water levels to rapidly or slowly change in your toilet or shower area.
• Bad smells and bugs coming from the drain can be caused by trapped food or waste particles in your kitchen or bathroom sink drainpipe.
• Small toys or jewellery that have been dropped into the drain.
• Broken or poorly installed drainage pipes.
• Tree roots that have grown in to block your home or office’s main drainage pipe.
• Water flow issues caused by a shifting foundation of the building.
• Debris such as leaves and lawn clippings driven into the drains by heavy rains or storms.

How to fix Blocked Drains?

When blocked drains happen, it is often tempting to try a do-it-yourself solution. However, this may not be the best approach to a long-term solution to the problem. Small problems are easily fixed using home solutions. However, recurring blocked drains may be the sign of larger issues that can be problematic to solve. DIY solutions such as chemical cleaners may actually cause more trouble than what they fix. While they may seem fast and easy to use, many chemical drain cleaners contain caustic sodas and other harsh chemicals. These can corrode your drainpipes and cause serious leaks in the future.

Additionally, these harsh chemicals and caustic sodas may cause a lot of damage to wastewater treatment systems such as septic tanks. They could also damage the environment by contaminating natural water supplies. All in all, trying to fix a blocked drain yourself may cause more problems than it originally seems to solve.

To avoid long-term problems caused by using chemical cleaners on recurring drain blockages, it may be best to call a plumber. Plumbers are equipped with specialised tools to help fix your problem. This can include CCTV cameras, air blowers, long snakes, and other devices that can be used to clear a drain blockage. On top of this, because of their experience and professional expertise, plumber can often quickly identify problems. This allows them to recommend solutions to your blocked drain issue. Additionally, plumbers have specialised cleaners that are safer for the environment that they can use to help clear any blockages. Because of their special training and experience, calling a plumber is often the best thing to do.

For more information on how to fix your blocked drains, contact us!