It is probably fair to say that most of us, at some time or other, has had to face that sinking feeling which comes with the problem of a blocked drain in our homes or office. There is nothing worse than trying to empty a sink which is full of dirty or greasy water and finding that pulling the plug out achieves nothing.
Whilst our hearts might sink into our stomachs just seeing the water in the kitchen sink, bathroom basin or bath simply not budging, there are some warning signs which might alert you to a potential looming problem, including:
- A foul, sewage-like smell coming from the drain hole.
- Water bubbling back up the drain rather than draining quickly and cleanly.
- Gurgling sounds when the plug is pulled. This means that the water is being obstructed in its journey down the drain.
- Slow draining. If the water is pooling around your feet during your shower, chances are that the drain is becoming blocked, more often than not with hair – the longer, the more likely it is to clog your shower drain.
- Drains can become blocked externally by tree roots which have grown over and breached the drainpipes. This is inevitable if you have large shrubs and trees growing near your drainage pipes, and fibrous roots especially have tremendous strength to crack and invade underground or on-ground pipes.
We are often the direct cause of our drainage problems
Other causes of blocked drains include:
- Nappies, sanitary products and baby wipes which are flushed down a toilet. Don’t flush bulky items like this down your toilet!
- Children flushing small toys down the toilet, which then become stuck in the U-bend and cause a blockage – sooner rather than later.
- Cooking oil, which is viscous and does not flow freely. It clumps together with other food debris and results in a blockage.
- Food scraps, especially coffee grounds, being washed down the drain.
- Pieces of solid soap bars being washed down the drain. It takes time for these pieces to break down and if enough of them end up down the drain in a short period, a blockage is almost inevitable.
- The build-up of hair in the drain during showering. Sometimes this can be fished out with a piece of wire with a hooked end (called a drain snake), and it is a good idea to routinely clear your shower drain this way, especially if you have long-haired people in your family. Hair loss is normal and happens every time we brush or shampoo our hair, so this is not something we can reasonably avoid.
- Natural debris such as leaves, twigs, small stones, sand and dirt which can get blown or accidentally knocked into on-ground and above-ground drainpipes.
Do home remedies work?
There are some useful home-remedies which might work in clearing blockages in drains, but it depends on their severity and the extent of the blockage. You could try using a plunger, which works by creating a seal around the plug hole, forming a vacuum effect that dislodges the blockage. A favourite remedy of mine is pouring boiling water down the drain, followed by a cup of bicarbonate of soda and a cup of plain vinegar. This will cause an immediate fizzing action, which breaks apart minor debris build-up and helps to clear the drain. Leave this mixture to sit and fizz for about ten minutes, then wash down with more boiling water and hey presto – blockage cleared! If this does not work, you know for sure that you have a more serious blockage to deal with and will probably have to call in a specialist drain cleaning company. Alternatively, you could go more Rambo-style and buy chemical caustic drain cleaners to put down the drain. Be aware, though that these ARE caustic, and the room should be well-ventilated prior to, during and immediately after using these cleaners. Since these cleaners are designed to dissolve grease, fat and oils, they are ideal for kitchen sinks.
If all else fails, call in the blocked drain specialists …
If working from the outside, you could try using a hydro-jet to force water up the pipe and hopefully dislodge the blockage. As a rule, this sort of intervention should be left to the specialists, as their equipment is designed to provide short, intensive bursts of water into the pipe rather than one continuous high-pressure jet which might prove messy and cause more damage than help. Specialist drain blockage cleaning companies use professional drain snakes which are able to penetrate further along the drain and remove deep-seated blockages, and should only be used by specialists in their field. If none of the above actions resolve the problem, it might be necessary to excavate below-ground pipes and replace them, but hopefully the blockage will be cleared long before this becomes necessary.
Routine maintenance will prevent many blockages
Like any other part of your home or workplace, drains need to be routinely checked, cleaned and maintained. This should help in preventing any major blockages occurring, but it is more than likely that you will encounter one of these nightmarish events at some time. When the task becomes too large for you to resolve yourself, call in the blocked drain specialists to sort it out for you. For more information, supplier lists and tips, consult Uptasker’s articles on this specialist field.
