We have previously covered how to prepare your drains for winter, but what are the most common causes of drain blockages in winter?
Foods and Fats
These are both very common causes of blocked drains in household kitchens. It is always recommended that you dispose of food scraps such as pasta and rice in your bin prior to washing your dishes in the sink. Food like pasta and rice is able to swell, potentially causing blockages in your sink.
Fats and oils are also problematic, these build up and solidify in the drain eventually causing a full blockage. A potential fix for fat blockages is to pour very hot water and laundry powder down the drain. Laundry powder is stronger than dishwashing products as it is not made to be used on items we eat off and therefore does not need to be consumption safe. If this doesn’t work, then it’s time to call the team at Plumbers & Gasfitters Bunbury.
Tree Roots
Tree roots are a huge hindrance when it comes to your drainage system. Once they enter the drain system, with the constant supply of water they will flourish and create ongoing blockage issues until they have been removed and the pipe repaired. This is something that will require a plumber to fix using special tools and machinery.
Flushing Incorrect Items Down the Toilet
You would be surprised by what some people flush down their toilets! There are, however, some more common and less suspicious items that get flushed down the toilet such as wet wipes and sanitary items. Whilst toilet paper disintegrates in water, wet wipes and sanitary products aren’t able to and will eventually cause a blockage.
In the case of other objects like toys and rim-hung toilet bowl cleaners, depending on their size, some might flow through your system. Larger items may get stuck, commonly discovered by your toilet bowl filling up and overflowing.
Hair
Hair is the most common blockage when it comes to baths, showers and sinks. The biggest problem with hair in your drains is when it is mixed with the chemicals found in soaps, shampoos and conditioners and becomes a slurry that blocks your drains.
If you find that your shower is unable to drain water, it could potentially be blocked by hair.
Aged Plumbing
Finally, your drainage system could be very aged. Years ago, galvanised steel pipes were used in plumbing however these pipes rust from the inside out and often cause blockages. There is not much that can be done for this and in most cases a plumber would be needed to replace sections of galvanised pipe with new PVC pipe. Another common material from the past was earthenware pipe (clay pipe). As these have aged they have become brittle and are prone to breakages, often allowing roots to enter the drainage system. This material is no longer used and as such would also require a plumber to cut out and replace damaged sections of pipe with new PVC pipe.
The easiest solution here is to use a trusted plumber such as Plumbers & Gasfitters Bunbury. We only use the best equipment and pride ourselves on our plumbing work, backed by our high Google rating and many happy customers.
