5 Reasons Your Drains Are Blocking and How To Fix It

reasons for blocked drains
If you’ve noticed a foul smell wafting up from kitchen or bathroom drains, there’s every chance the drain is blocked. To get to the root of the problem, here’s 5 reasons why they are blocking themselves in the first place.

Whilst you might know all the tips and tricks, such as using baking soda and vinegar to unblock a drain, it’s easy to spend a lot of time and money on different methods to solve this annoying problem. Instead, it’s time to understand the reason your drains are blocking – keep reading to learn more. 

5 common reasons for blocked drains

#1 – Foreign objects

Before you go ahead and call the blocked drain plumber, ask your household members whether they’ve been putting things down the toilet or the drains in the first place. Most blocked drains are caused by foreign objects getting trapped in the pipes or even a buildup of food deposits and fat. Anything small that gets lodged in the pipe traps subsequent particles as they try to flow past. Eventually, a small piece of trapped debris grows into a foul, smelly lump that will ultimately block the drain altogether.

#2 – The pipe is broken

It’s possible that the ground itself can shift, putting pressure on pipes laid nearby and causing them to crack. Tree roots can also break through pipes and create blockages. Both of these causes are significant, and will require experts to come in and fix for you.

#3 – The plumbing was bad in the first place

These days, homes and apartment buildings are erected quickly, often resulting in corners being cut and mistakes being made. Plumbing is one area where construction companies often like to cut corners because misaligned and poorly constructed pipe work is cheaper. Shoddy workmanship can cause leaks and compromise the surrounding earth, leading to a high chance the pipes will collapse. For the homeowner, this can result in blockages of debris which can be a very expensive job to fix.

#4 – There’s not enough gravity

Drainage relies on gravity, otherwise the water and flow through cannot drain away efficiently. If the pipes are not laid to the correct level, the water flow will not be sufficient enough to move the debris down the line and away. Particles along with other bits of debris can cause a build up of sediment in the pipe and this will eventually grow into a significant blockage.

#5 – Heavy rain and flooding

Heavy rain can result in flash flooding which can exceed the pipe’s ability to handle the excessive flow. This can lead to breakage under pressure, which can cause untold damage and is a major issue to rectify. If you’re concerned about the capacity of your pipes, get the expert opinion of a plumber who can advise you whether this is an issue for your home or not.

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