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To distinguish causes of clogged drains or a drain blockage outside your home, there are several symptoms you may notice. Do you keep hearing gurgling noises from your drains? Have trouble flushing the toilet? Are there any bad smells in your kitchen or bathroom? All these signs may indicate that something is wrong with your plumbing system.
Flushing your toilet only to notice it overflow onto the floor, or having a sink suddenly taking time to empty, are nightmare situations for homeowners. This leads a call to emergency plumbing services and blocked drain plumbers to attend to these situations. A clogged drain could be a problem with pipes attached to the sink, toilet, bathtub or shower, or in some cases, these blockages may be found in the main sewer drain.
Grease, dirt, diaper wipes, and food leftovers are causes of clogged drains and cause a lot of trouble for residential owners. Luckily, there are ways a drainage plumber can prevent and fix drain issues before it’s too late.
A drain is a system that runs through a house or building which connects to a sewer system. The drain is also connected to a sink, toilet or washing machine.
There’s a pipeline that connects with a trap that leads to the drain line and sewer system. As it is a basic system, there are multiple areas where clogs can cause problems. This could be in the pipes themselves or in the traps connected to the sink or toilet through to the plumbing system.
If your drains get blocked or noticed a drain keeps blocking, these are a common occurrence. Indoor blockages are typically caused by tissues, wipes, sanitary products, and heavy objects being flushed down the drain. If you’re dealing with a drain blockage outside, it could be due to a buildup of tree roots, debris, or dead leaves.
When cooking, most homeowners discard food leftovers and oils into the sink. The same happens when they’re cleaning plates and glasses. Over time, these residues accumulate into the drains, restricting water flow.
Other common causes drains get blocked by include:
Soap, for instance, is made with fat or grease. These substances combine with the minerals in the water, leaving soap scrum behind. In the long run, your drains get clogged and stop working properly. Soap-free dishwasher detergent is your best bet.
If you’re washing your hair in the sink or bathtub, the drains can easily become clogged. To prevent this problem, make sure all drains have guards. If the hair is visible in the drain, pull it out with tweezers.
Blocked drains can cause a lot of problems within your household. Sometimes, it’s difficult to tell what is causing the blockage.
The most obvious and unpleasant sign is a foul smell. If food leftovers, grease, or something else got stuck in the drain, it may begin to rot and produce a bad odour.
Another common sign of a blocked drain is a gurgling noise. You may hear it anytime throughout the day or only when you’re flushing the toilet or taking a shower.
A drain clog can cause water levels in your toilet to rise higher when you flush it, or it could affect the filling which leads to lower water levels in the bowl. A main sewer drain clog can also cause water levels to flow into bathtubs or showers when flushing the toilet.
Also, watch out for slow draining sinks and bathtubs, localised damp patches, cracks around the drains, and changes in the toilet water level. For instance, clogged drains may cause the water level in your toilet to rise higher when flushing. This is a sign of a blocked toilet which could lead to water damage and flooding.
The good news is that blocked drains can be easily prevented. Simple things, such as using a specialised drain cleaner and throwing out wet wipes in the garbage, can make all the difference. As a rule of thumb, avoid disposing food or grease down the drain. Check the drains regularly for cracks, leaks, and other signs of damage.
If you’re always dealing with a blockage, call a blocked drain plumber. These issues won’t go away by themselves. The longer you wait, the greater the damage.
Contact a blocked drain specialist in Melbourne to inspect and see how they can unblock a drain for you. Some problems could be due to your close neighbours, especially if you live in an apartment building. Unless you’re a plumber yourself, it’s hard to tell what caused these issues in the first place.
At Zabs Plumbing we have sophisticated tools and equipment that will help us locate and eliminate clogs first-hand, including CCTV cameras, high-pressure water jet cleaning systems and electric snake equipment. If you have signs of a clogged drain or a main sewer drain, get in touch with us today so we can help.