Indoor Plumbing Issues: Common Culprits Responsible for Blocked Drains

Posted on: 17 December 2015

Having drains or pipes that won't flow freely inside your house is a big nuisance; clogged pipes will allow wastewater to stay in your house, making your house look unhygienic and sometimes even smell awful. Very few homeowners are yet to face or will never face the issue of blocked drains. This is because it is virtually impossible to avoid encountering the problem of clogged drains when you are using the drainage system in your house.

Knowing what you should prevent from entering your drains is the first step towards maintaining clog-free indoor drains. So, what are some of the common trouble-prone things that may cause your indoor drains to clog?

Grease and fat

The main issue when it comes to grease and fat is that they do not exactly leave your drains as is the case with most other stuff that goes into the drains. These sticky substances will remain on the inside of the walls of the drains, and they will, with time, collect up to the level that no more wastewater can flow. This problem can be moderated by ensuring that any wastewater containing grease or fat is not washed away through the drains. You should be particularly watchful when you are dealing with oily or fatty substances such as bathing soaps, beauty products, and most cooked food leftovers, which can cause your kitchen and bathroom sinks to clog easily when washed down the sink. 

Toiletries

Toiletries are another common cause of blocked drains. Several people flush things such as baby diapers and feminine sanitary towels down their toilet drains, and this subsequently prevents the drains from flowing freely. When baby diapers become soaked in water, for instance, they become swollen due to absorption. This is the same thing that happens when baby diapers are allowed into your toilet drains. These toiletries will not disintegrate the way wet toilet rolls do, and as a result, the toiletries can get trapped in the drains and cause a blockage.

Hair 

Aside from toiletries, grease and fat, an accrual of hair can also lead to a serious clogging problem in your house. As time continues to pass by, the issue can become worse unless the blockage is cleared quickly before wastewater is prevented from flowing through the drains altogether. Even though using devices such as hair catchers in your bathtub or on your shower floor can help alleviate the problem, you should be careful to avoid letting hair into plumbing drains to prevent the problem from happening in the first place. 

If you need help clearing blocked drains in your home, contact a local plumber. 

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