In this article, we will go over the most common causes of a blocked drain and explain how and why these blockages typically occur.
Causes of Blocked Drains
A variety of things can cause your drains to become clogged and blocked up. Let's look at some of the most common causes so that you can try your best to avoid these sorts of blockages from happening in your home.
- Tree Roots
Tree roots are one of the most common causes of blocked drains. Tree roots can grow underground and damage the pipes in your home or business. This means that your water supply may become extremely slow or stop working completely.
- Toiletries
Another common cause of blocked drains is toiletries such as baby wipes and tampons. These products can clog up your pipes which will cause them to overflow when flushed down the toilet or sink drain. That’s why it’s important to dispose of these items properly instead of flushing them down the toilet.
- Foreign Objects
Foreign objects can get stuck in the drainage pipe leading from your sink or bathtub and cause it to back up instead of flowing freely into the main sewer line where it belongs! You should be vigilant whenever your small children are in the washroom because you never know what they might decide to flush down the drain.
- Cooking Oil
Cooking oil is one of the most common causes of blocked drains. This is because it's very viscous and doesn't wash away easily, so it tends to build up in your pipes over time which can cause significant blockages in your pipes and drainage system.
- Food Scraps
Food scraps are another common cause of blocked drains. They can get caught in the U-shaped trap and prevent water from flowing out of the sink. The best way to avoid this problem is to never dump food scraps down your kitchen sink drain but instead, put them in a trashcan or compost bin.
- Mineral Build Up
Mineral deposits such as limescale can build up on the inner surface of your drainpipes and cause an obstruction to flow through your plumbing system. Over time, this can eventually lead to a significant blockage that requires a professional to repair.
- Soap
Soap can create a thick layer in your drain that prevents water from flowing freely. This is why it's so important to use only a small amount of soap when washing dishes or clothes. Try using just half of what you would normally use!
- Hair
Hair can also clog your drains, especially if you have long hair and don't regularly clean out the drain trap. Make sure that you always wipe out any hair and other debris from your bathtub's drain after bathing. If there's no drain trap in your tub, consider installing one.
- Natural Debris
Natural debris like leaves and pine needles can clog up your drains too. Make sure to keep the gutters on your house in good shape so that these things don't get into your pipes and cause problems with the drainage system.
- Cat Litter
Cats are one of the most common causes of blocked drains, as their litter can be very sticky and difficult to remove. If you have a cat and notice that your drain is blocked, check to see if there are any clumps of cat litter that you can remove.
Conclusion
It might be possible to unblock the drain yourself with a plunger or another plumbing tool available at your local hardware store. But oftentimes, this will make the problem worse than it already is. Therefore, you should Ensure anyone who works on your drains is licenced for drainage work; that way, the problem can get fixed as soon as possible, and the blockage won't get pushed any further down the drain.