How to fix a blocked drain

Some of the early signs of blocked drains include:

1. Foul smell: This is the first sign you would definitely notice if you got blocked drains. There will be this unusual smell like a sewage-like scent. Especially when you can’t decipher where it is coming from.

2. Gurgling sounds: You would hear gurgling sounds. When the water drains, it shows the water is pooling and pushing against the pipe due to the blockage.

3. Slow draining: When you drain water away from your sink or shower, you will notice the water takes a lot more time to drain than normal. And this usually gets worse as the problem continues to go unchecked till it doesn’t drain again.

4. Overflowing: This is one of the extreme early signs; there will be liquids spilling back instead of going into the drain.

So what causes this blocked drainage in the first places?

They include:

1. Toiletries: Baby wipes, nappies, sanitary products, etc. Although they are essential, they can go on to accumulate in the pipe and cause drain blockage.
2. Tree roots: This could cause a drain blockage where the roots keep growing until it breaches the pipe.
3. Cooking oil: It is always advisable not to throw cooking oil into the sink due to its viscosity. It doesn’t flow as fast as water and would solidify and clump together with other food debris to build a blockage on the drain.
4. Food scraps: Same as with the cooking oil, don’t throw food scraps into the drain. They belong in your waste bin. They also could clump together and block your drain.
5. Foreign objects: This is very common in homes with children. They could flush all kinds of objects down the toilet. These things would probably lodge somewhere in the u-bend and cause blockage to your drains.
6. Hair: yes, your long pretty hair can cause blocked drainage as some of them would down the sink as you wash them in the shower.
7. Soaps, mineral buildup, natural debris, and cat litter can also cause blocked drainage.

How to fix a blocked drain

So Here are the DIYs processes we can use to solve our blocked drainage issue:

1. Boiling water: When the blockage is caused by toiletries or conditioners or grease, even cooking oils; You can make use of their low melting point to break them by pouring enough hot water into the drain.
2. Using plungers: This is the use of a vacuum effect of the plungers to remove the blockage. Once you place the plunger on the plughole, it would form a seal affecting the vacuum effect to pull the blockage.
3. Using natural cleaners: This is just like using the boiling ester method. In this case, you are adding natural cleaners to break the blockage apart. A combination of water with natural cleaners like a cup of vinegar, a cup of bicarbonate of soda would do the trick.
   You could also make use of caustic cleaners, which are ideal for tougher blockages. But due to its strong acidic properties, you should ventilate the room before starting.
4. DIY drain snake: The DIY drain snake tries to function like the plumber drain snake. This is made of a thin metal wire like a cat hanger with a gook at the snake’s end. You insert the head into the plughole to fish out the blockage. This is mostly down for blockage caused by hair.

Drain is still blocked?

Suppose you have exhausted the options, and the drain is still blocked. In that case, you need to rethink your decision not to call a professional plumber.
The DIY will not work if the blockage is extremely severe. Let the professionals come to have a check and use other advanced methods like:

1. Plumbers drain snakes
2. CCTV
3. Hydro jets
4. Excavation
5. Pipe relining etc.

If you are in Australia and you need a fix on your blocked drain. You should call prolific plumbing services to help you fix them. They are one of the most reliable and efficient plumbing repair service company in Australia today.