This article from Steve Bennett Plumbing will help you understand what a blocked drain is and how you can unblock it.
What is a Blocked Drain?
A blocked drain is when the water in your sink, bathtub or toilet gets stuck because the pipe that takes the water away from your home is too narrow. This can be caused by things like food, hair and other household items that have been flushed down the toilet or washed down the sink.
There are some signs of a blocked drain which include:
- A slow draining sink or bathtub
- A slow draining toilet
- Standing water in a sink, bathtub or toilet bowl
- Drains that produce gurgling sounds
- A build up of scum on the inside of a sink, bathtub or toilet
More: Slow Draining Bathroom Sink: Causes and How to Fix It
How to Identify the Cause for Your Blockage
A blocked drain is a common issue in the household. It can lead to a lot of issues like flooding, water seepage, bad odour, etc.
Signs of a blocked drain include slow-draining water, a gurgling noise when the water is draining, and an unpleasant smell coming from the sink or shower. A blocked drain can also cause your drain to overflow.
If you see any water pooling around your drain, then it is likely that your problem is hair or soap scum buildup. The most common cause of a blocked drain is hair. Hair is often found in sinks and baths, but it can also get stuck in the trap of a shower or washing machine. I
f there is no water pooling around your drain but you notice a foul smell coming from it, then it could be grease buildup or food particles causing the problem. Pouring fats, oils, and grease down the sink is a leading cause of household and sewer blockages, and the NSW Health wastewater management guidance explains how these materials affect both home plumbing and the wider sewerage network.
Sometimes food particles will get caught in the pipes and cause a blockage, or grease from the kitchen might have leaked into the pipes, too. The other cause of a blocked drain is the pieces that come off the shower curtains. These often find their way down the plughole and will cause a blockage when they are caught on one of the jets in the sink.
When the cause isn’t visible from the surface, a professional CCTV drain inspection is the most reliable way to pinpoint the exact location and nature of the obstruction without unnecessary digging. With over 40 years of hands-on plumbing experience, our team has seen every kind of blockage Sydney homes can throw at us.
More: Why Your Drains Smell and How to Get Rid of the Odour
How to Unblock Your Drain Without Calling Professionals
Trying to unblock a drain without professional help can be difficult and time-consuming. If you are in doubt we always suggest calling a Plumber to assist to make sure the blockage is not only cleared, but prevention measures are put in place.
Under the NSW Government plumbing, draining and gasfitting rules, any work beyond basic DIY clearing must be carried out by a licensed plumber to ensure safety and code compliance.
Everyone will need to know how to unclog a drain at some point. And naturally, a drain will usually get blocked up at the most inconvenient of times… Think Christmas Day, a milestone birthday celebration or a Monday morning. So you’ll want to clear the blockage fast and with minimal mess.
While instinct will lead you to get out the plunger, sometimes it won’t work, and sometimes you won’t actually own one. Thankfully there are ways to unclog your drain without a plunger, calling on dish washing liquid, hot water, even baking soda and vinegar for quick, effective results that don’t require a plumber.
For stubborn blockages caused by hardened grease, tree roots, or heavy build-up, professional hydro jetting uses high-pressure water to clear pipes thoroughly without damaging them.
It’s not the nicest job, but still an essential part of keeping your drain clean and your home happy. The NSW Government plumbers and drainers compliance information outlines the standards licensed plumbers must follow, while the NSW Health on-site domestic wastewater management guidelines provide useful background on keeping household drainage systems healthy long-term.
Keep reading to tend to your drain and to get clued up on how to avoid a repeat blockage in the future.
