Tag: Blocked Drains

What can cause a blocked drain?
Having a well-maintained and functional drainage system is the number one requirement of potential property buyers. It can drastically increase or decrease the value of your property. Therefore, it is best to keep the drains clean and away from unwanted materials. You should follow the basic protection rules to prevent drains from blocking. Blocked drains create various problems in the household, commercial spaces, and other large buildings. You can prevent it with various cautions against waste materials.

You can limit the chances of a blocked drain by avoiding the flow of solid waste materials in the drain through the toilet, washbasins and sink. It is best to get inspection and maintenance services every 6 months from experienced blocked drain plumbers.

What can cause a blocked drain?

Insoluble waste like diapers, fruits or vegetable remains and other things can block the drains quickly. You should avoid throwing waste directly in the drain or sink. It is best to use the dustbin for solid or insoluble waste materials.
- Hair and animal fur
The hair fall occurs naturally, and while bathing most people lose their hair that flows down the drain with water. If you have a pet, consider using a bathtub or sink for dog bathing. Pets have fur fall, and that combines with the soap to make a great pile down the drain.
- Toilet paper and facial wipes
You will find that toilet paper and facial wipes or makeup remover wipes can result in blocked drains in Melbourne. It is best to use a separate dustbin for throwing such waste products. People think that toilet papers or facial wipes are soluble in water, but it accumulates down the drains to block it.
- Food scraps
Food scraps include the oil and food spices or rice left over on the plates. You can wash it down with water in the dishwasher. It creates an ultimate pile of food scraps and results in blocked drains. You should also avoid throwing the salad leftovers in the sink. These materials look small, but they collect and create a destructive problem.
- Tree roots
If you are fond of gardening and have more trees in the garden. The drainage system is fitted underground, and the large trees spread their roots to a major extent. There is a possibility of tree roots blocking the drainage pipes and drain. It creates several problems in the passage of the wastewater and clogs the drain.

There are unlimited reasons like small toys, fat, oil and grease in the drain that causes blocked drains in Melbourne. You can find that the cat litter or other pet wastes can also clog the drain. Multiple reasons are responsible for drain blockage. You can avoid throwing everything in the sink, dishwasher, toilet and bathroom.

How much does it cost to fix a blocked drain?

The cost of fixing the blocked drain majorly depends on the complexity of the drainage pipe problem. It cost around $80 to $120 to unblock the toilet drains. You can consider spending $300 to $500 to clear the clogged drain. The replacement cost of the drain piping ranges from $1000 to $3000.

Every cost depends on the task difficulty and the equipment or tools required for cleaning the drain. Most professionals use drain snakes which is quite challenging. It can cost you more for the blocked drain fixation.

What to do?

You should immediately call a professional plumber for blocked drains. The condition may get worse if you wait for anything. The experts can check and identify the causes of drainage problems to fix them in the long term. It is best to enquire about the instant and emergency services.
July 8, 2022
5 Common Causes Of Blocked Drains

If you have landed up on this page, I’m sure you are looking for a solution for blocked drains. This is one of the common problems that most homeowners face. So, it all boils down to finding out the problem at the budding stage and rectifying the issue by calling up a plumber. In this blog, we are going to highlight some of the key factors that can be a probable cause for a blocked drain. There are drain-cleaning instruments available in the market but you can always hire the best experts who know how to unclog the blocked drains.

5 Key contributors to the blocked drainage system

1. Tree roots

These are the key cause of blockages and clogging of sewer pipes. The intrusion of tree roots into the main pipe can break it and permanently damage the waterline. Most experts believe that the key sign of water clogging because of root intrusion is when you hear a gurgling sound. If you live in an area where there are many trees, it can be a potential threat to the drainage pipe of your house. Tree roots grow fast during the monsoon and hence, you should be aware of the blockage and keep cutting roots whenever they spread.

2. Feminine hygiene products

Sanitary pads and diapers can be detrimental to the drainage system. These are not biodegradable and have cotton, which can potentially clog the drainage system. It also attracts other clogging agents resulting in blockage of the drains.

3. Oil and grease

The next prominent cause for blocked drain can be oil and grease. Most of us have the misconception that water washes away everything, but remember, oil and grease are resistant to water. Also, when fat, oil or any other sticky substance passes down the drain, it can cause buildup that eventually clogs the drain. It is always better to dispose of fat, oil, and grease in a trash can than to put everything in the drain and flush it with water. Grease, oil, and animal fat can be some of the worst cases that clog your sink. You can try DIY methods like hot water and baking soda to clean the sink openings, but it is always better to seek expert advice.

4. Hair

The next contributor to blocked drain is hair. You can opt for a small screen or keep sweeping the hair out of the sink, but despite all these good practices, you will end up finding hair strands clogging the drain, leading to blockage issues. These hair strands not only start accumulating in the drain but also attract other parties, causing complete blockage of the drain. They can accumulate to the point that it can lead to complete clogging of drain and sink.

5. Pipe scale

It results from products of nature interacting with the pipe and resulting in the buildup to the point that it results in blockage. Mineral deposits are yet another reason for the blockage of the drain. Scales are usually ca; calcium or magnesium that are left behind when the water flows. Over a period of time, the scale deposition increases, and it can cause blockage of drain. The scale deposition can also impact the working of the appliances like the hot water system. Hence, you must not ignore these signs.

Call up a plumber and be stress-free

One of the easiest ways to get rid of all these problems is to call up the plumber and keep their number handy so that you can call them up in case of an emergency. You can gather the list of the emergency plumbers and talk to them about the package and the types of instruments that they use. The right plumber will also provide you with the warranty that is needed.

November 4, 2021
How Blocked Drain Causes Flooding in Houses and How to Prevent It?
Flooding is something that can be caused by different issues whether internally or externally along with the flow of water and the drainage system.

Some of the basic reasons can include the following points:
- Excessive rainfall
- Unstopped rainfall
- Breakage of a dam
- Blocked drains
All the above-mentioned points can cause extreme flooding in a particular area. If the problem is within a house then it could be due to the poor maintenance of the plumbing. There are few ways that can help the owners prevent flooding at the homes. It is drastic to wake up one fine morning and find that the entire house is flooded with dirty drain water and releasing a foul smell all around. The most important reason behind the flooding within the interiors of the house is the negligence in the maintenance of pipes and the poor drainage.

It is commonly seen that the pipes get burst and results in flooding. This affects the entire work process in the house and makes the home owner’s life miserable.

Steps that can prevent home flooding could be explained briefly now:
- If there are any blocked drains in the house then the first thing is to contact a plumber to unblock them quickly.
- Usually drains get blocked due to the lack of flow of the water or waste getting collected in it.
- Having a good drainage system in our property is an essential part or else flooding could be the most common risk to happen to the house.
- The homes near the coastal areas are prone to flooding and the same instance of blocked drains can be seen there. After flooding a large amount of debris gets collected over the drains and if not removed on time then chaos gets created.
- A professional and experienced plumber is the only one who should be called for installing an effective system for drainage.
- Small changes like insulating the pipes or during wintertime leaving the heater working can give the plumbing accessories in the best way.
There are many disposal products that cause blocked drains inside the house. The pipes get blocked and thus the water does not get enough place to move out and it returns back to the house.

Some of the disposable products are as follows:
- Wet wipes
- Plastic wrappers
- Grease or oil
- Food and vegetable peels
- Sanitary pads and kid’s nappies
- Fats and plasters
- Tampons
- Earbuds and cotton balls
- Strands of hair
Even after taking an ample number of precautions, if the house still gets flooded with dirty and foul smell water then there are some essential preventive measures to be taken so that it would not harm anyone.
- Firstly, turn off all the switches and electrical points.
- Do not walk around the entire home, only move around in the places where the water is not flowing.0
- The entryways should be protected with barriers.
- The family members should use sandbags so that they do not get a shock.
- Move all the electrical equipment away from the water or flooded areas of the house.
- Wearing plastic bags and tying them with elastic bands on hands and legs would protect the people from serious injuries
The situation of having blocked drains can be avoided if they are maintained properly. It should be cleaned at regular intervals and looked into the maintenance part carefully. Ensuring that the power connections are cut at the time of water flow inside the house is very important. It is advised that the homeowners should call a well-experienced plumber for their services and not indulge in the plumbing works themselves. The flow blocked drains need to be checked by a professional plumber even while any sort of renovation or remodelling of the house is done.

8 Most common causes for blocked drains:
From Visually.
September 28, 2021
Methods of Clearing Blocked Drains and Pipes
Drains and pipes in your sewage system may get blocked. This is not that unique. Clearing blocked drains are recommended once every few months. You will generally hire a plumber to clear out blocks and repairing them.

If left unattended they may result in leakage of wastewater in your basins and drain chambers. This could lead to poor hygienic conditions around your sink or chambers resulting in water overflow. You should avoid such scenarios as it could also pose the risk of a health hazard.

Causes of blockage

Blockage in the sewage pipes can be caused due to unwanted plastics, small stones, grease, and other waste materials, mineral deposits like iron and calcium, and even hair that get stuck inside the pipes.

Methods implemented to clear blocked drains

Hiring plumbers is an obvious idea but you should also know some of these basic tips for clearing blocked drains..If you are in an emergency situation then these tips will surely come in handy for you.
- Boiled water
This is one of the simple techniques that you can try out at home when your kitchen sink suddenly overflows due to blockage in the pipes.

Usually, this is enough to clear out some minor blocks. This is a quick way and thus also does not need any further opening of the pipes for repairing and maintenance. But there is one problem. You should try out this method only in ceramic pipes as they are highly resistant to heat. If you use hot water to clear a blockage in the PVC pipes the joints may be loosened. But still, if you intend to use hot water for clearing blocked drains make sure that the water temperature is not too high.
- Caustic cleaning agent
It is a chemical which you can easily buy from the supermarkets. It composes of caustic soda and some other chemicals mixed to form a unique solution. It is enough to remove grease, hair, or food particles that get stuck in the drainage pipes.

But you must know that caustic soda is highly basic and may even dissolve your pipes if a concentrated solution is used. They are also very dangerous to use. So, maintain some precautions while clearing blocked drains. You should generally dilute a few drops of the caustic cleaning agent in water before pouring it on the drains.
- Use of plungers
These are also highly used in the house and commercial toilets. The repetitive up and down movement of the plungers causes enough pressure inside the drains and a vacuum-like situation as a result of which the dirt particles get removed. It is best for clearing out solid blockages. But clearing blocked drains due to grease and dirt other methods and chemicals like caustic soda should be used.
- Hydro jets
This involves a stream of water at high speeds that are flown through the blocked pipe and drain. It is used for cleaning blocked drains at homes and even used by commercial cleaners for clearing community underground sewage pipes.

It is a very simple yet effective way to clear out drains. Usually, it can remove micro blockages as well. But again, it is ineffective in clearing out blockages due to mineral deposits.

Final verdict

For clearing blocked drains, you need to find out the extent of the blockage and its reason first. There are a few techniques that are highly effective in removing certain blocked particles. Here the four major processes have been mentioned. Some of these processes can be tried out at home without taking help from a plumber. Sometimes these methods are also used for underground sewage drains and pipes. Follow these only if you are in an emergency situation or else you can get in touch with the plumber.
July 15, 2020