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Writer's pictureEmma Smith

Understanding the Common Causes of Blocked Drains and How to Prevent Them



Isn't it frustrating when you're about to step out the door but find your kitchen or bathroom flooded due to a blocked drain? The day starts off on a damp note, both literally and figuratively. In these instances, don’t you wish you had a preventative measure in place to stop these domestic disasters from materializing? If this scenario sounds familiar, then let's delve into the world of drains, blocks, and, most importantly, how to prevent these disheartening occurrences.

 

Blocked drains are more than just a household nuisance; they can result in long-term damage to your home’s pipes and pose serious health risks - a flood of problems unabashedly delivered to you. But understanding the causes can help prevent future blockages. Before we plunge into the problem, facts, and solutions, let's establish the groundwork by discerning the primary reasons for these unwelcome hindrances.

 

Why Drains Block: Common Causes

 

Blocked drains are typically caused by the build-up of grease, fat, or food remnants in your kitchen sink, hair, soap, or foreign objects in the bathroom, and sometimes even external factors like tree roots can clog up your secondary lines. As many of us might not realize these run-of-the-mill activities could lead straight to a plumbing catastrophe. The subtle accumulations can translate into monumental troubles over time if left unchecked.

 

The Hair-Raising Effect: How Hair Blocks Drains

 

Most of us are guilty of letting strands of hair swirl into the drain post a hair wash. Over time, this 'hairball' combined with soap residue, forms a solid clump, notoriously renowned for reducing the passage for water in the drain. Regular cleaning of hair from bathroom drains is a simple practice that can spare us a great deal of inconvenience.

 

Cooking Up Trouble: Fats, Grease, and Food

 

Just as cholesterol builds up in arteries, fats and grease solidify and accumulate overtime in your kitchen pipes. Combine this with food remnants, and you're cooking up a recipe for a disastrous drain blockage. Think before you let anything besides water rinse down your sink.

 

The Outside Offenders: Tree Roots

 

Tree roots grow towards any source of water — even if it means intruding into your sewer lines. These roots can create significant blockages and damage. Professional assistance would be required to tackle these big-scale problems.

 

The Silent Threat: Hard Water

 

Hard water, another common culprit behind blocked drains, is laden with minerals. Over time, these accumulate in the pipes, reducing their diameter, eventually leading to clog issues.

 

Role of Drainage Systems: Misaligned Pipes

 

While direct causes often lead to blocked drains, the unsung villain is often the poorly installed or misaligned pipe itself. Poorly fitted drainage systems can lead to ongoing issues which must be addressed professionally.

 

Conclusion

 

As we navigate through our daily household chores, an understanding of the impact of our actions on our home's blocked drains system can play a crucial role in warding off the demon of blocked drains. Abiding by practices such as disposing of oils, fats, and grease appropriately, regularly cleaning hair from drains, and periodically getting our pipes checked can pave the way for a hassle-free, clear-flowing drainage system.

 

While it seems like a daunting task keeping those pipes flowing, a little knowledge and preventative action can make a huge difference. After all, as the saying goes, a stitch in time saves nine. Just replace stitch with clean, and we've got it down to a 'drain' science!

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