Experiencing blocked drains in your home is not only a nuisance, but it could also lead to a lot of inconveniences. Even worse, if not quickly rectified, blocked drains can cause serious damage such as leaks, electrical issues and overflows.
Blocked drains are easy to fix if the issue is detected on time. It is crucial to identify the cause of blocked drains in your home. Otherwise, you will end up with the same issue soon after plumbing repairs.
Below are common factors that contribute to blocked drains:
Grease and Fat
Grease and fat might look harmless, but they are the leading cause of blocked kitchen drains. In most cases, after meals, homeowners rinse greased pans in their kitchen sink, washing the grease down the drain. This might not seem like a problem, until the grease and fat begins to solidify in the drains.
You might think that hot grease will successfully go down the drain, straight to the sewer. Well, that is not what happens. The grease will cool off as soon as it gets to the cold drain pipes. The cooled greased accumulates continuously, to the point of blocking the pipes. At this point, liquids flushed down the drain cannot get past the built-up layer of grease.
Hair
Looking at strands of hair, you could doubt whether they are possible of causing blocked drains. Regardless of how hard it is to believe, hair can cause blocked drains. Accumulation of hair down a plug can stand in the way of water passing through the drainage system efficiently, causing blocked drains.
This makes it crucial for homeowners to invest in products that can help them to catch hair before it gets into the drains of their homes. However, the only permanent solution to prevent blocked drains is by checking for any accumulated hair regularly.
Roots
Roots emerging from plants and trees in your garden could be a possible cause of the blocked drains in your home. Just like branches, as a plant grows, it spreads its roots further, to the extent that they reach your drainage system. Stronger roots can possibly punch through a pipe, causing a blocked drain.
In such, you will need to hire an expert to replace the affected pipe. However, to avoid such occurrences in the future, you must consider the type of plants and trees you plant in your garden. Leave adequate space between the plants and your house's drainage system.
