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Most people will encounter a blocked drain in their home at some point. Anytime you wash away dirt, food particles, grease, oil, hair and other debris elements into your drainage system, it will accumulate over time if you don’t properly maintain it.
Blocked drains can lead to slow water drainage, foul smells and flooding if left unresolved.
Understand the Causes of Frequent Drain Blockages
Do your drains regularly get blocked? If so, you need to understand why your drains get blocked to prevent it from happening again.
Firstly you need to identify where the blockages keep recurring, is it the shower always draining slowly or the kitchen gully overflowing when the washing machine empties?
Everything you flush or pour down the drain will ultimately affect the health and stability of your pipes and plumbing.
Here is a closer examination of each drain and how they tend to get blocked frequently:
Kitchen Sink Drain
To prevent your kitchen sink and/or waste pipe from blocking up you will need to be vigilant about what you are flushing away in the sink, dishwasher or washing machine.
As a result of washing your dishes, pots and pans all kinds of food particles, grease, oils, and fats get washed into the kitchen sink drain. These organic elements may start as liquids or soft material, but they can quickly harden inside your pipes after settling in them for a short time. Once hardened, this organic matter can easily clog your drainage pipes if you regularly pour grease, oils, and fats into them daily.
Little tasks like these can help prevent blockages:-
- Scrape leftover food from your dishes, pots and pans
- Once cooled, pour fats and oils into an old container to be disposed of in the bin
- Remove grease from pans using paper towels
- Use a sink strainer to prevent any food waste going down the plug hole after washing up
Bathroom Basin, Bath and Shower
Soaps and hair build up are the main causes for these blockages, although scale can also play a part. When washing your hands, body and hair all the dirt, soap and hair washes into the pipework which can cause the pipework to start draining slowly and eventually may block completely.
A home remedy like boiling water or baking soda can dissolve soap scum accumulation in the pipes and if you think hair may be the culprit then it would be worth purchasing a bath strainer to prevent the hair from washing down the plug hole.
Toilet Drain
Toilets are designed to remove human waste and toilet paper, nothing more.
Most toilet blockages occur due to items not designed to be flushed down the toilet, such as baby wipes, nappies, sanitary items, children’s toys and toilet rim blocks. Even using too much toilet paper can cause your toilet to block.
The best way to prevent toilet drain blockages is to stop flushing anything but human waste and toilet paper. If you notice that your toilet is starting to drain slowly then take action quickly.
Call a Professional
If simple home remedies are not unblocking your drains, then contact a professional drainage clearance company like London Drains Direct. We have the skills, experience, and tools to remove the most stubborn blockages from your drain.
Call us at 020 7118 0999 to request drain clearance assistance 24 hours per day, seven days per week.