Drain blockages like a blocked toilet bowl are common plumbing problems every homeowner dreads.
However, a clogged drain can happen even when we give our drains the utmost care. Small things can accidentally flush down to block the water flow. Through time, grease and other materials can form a build-up that can cause a blocked drain.
Common Sources of Grease and Fat
Grease and fat can accumulate inside the drainpipe, causing stubborn blockages and leading to an overflow drain, impacting the plumbing fixture. Once ignored, you can expect it to become a nasty and smelly problem.
Grease, oil, and fat are typical by-products of foods or cooking processes like meats, food scraps, dairy products, butter, coffee grinds, rice, eggshells, fat-based soaps, and detergents. Anything else that comes from food or is used for cooking can cause a grease-clogged pipe.
Inevitability of Grease Buildup
Although you might be careful enough to dispose of the leftover food in a garbage bag, it’s impossible to avoid grease buildups in the kitchen pipe. Even when you are a very cautious person, you may not notice the existence of grease in the drainpipe until overflowing happens.
The Real Problem with Grease
Grease isn’t the problem. It’s the tendency to build up over a prolonged time from food waste and other materials until it overwhelms your drainage that grease and fat blockages become challenging. Grease starts to solidify and stick to the sides of the pipe until they form large clumps, which obstruct the water from flowing.
Faulty Plumbing and Blocked Drains
Blocked drains could also be the result of faulty plumbing. Mistakes can happen when installing plumbing fixtures. At times, the pipes collapse, or cracks appear, which cause damage to your property. So, if your newly installed drains are blocked, it might be a case of improper plumbing. (For damaged and broken pipes, check out pipe relining as an option to traditional pipe repair.)
Whether it’s the outdoor drains, kitchen drain or bathroom drain, it is essential to determine the cause of drain blockages. Hence, blocked drains aren’t something that you must ignore. When you notice the tell-tale signs of a blocked drain, such as nasty smells, loud gurgling noise or any gurgling sounds, or water draining slowly, it’s time to contact a plumbing agency.
DIY Tools for Unblocking Drains
Drains are vital to our household routine, such as washing dishes, brushing our teeth, bathing, etc. For the slightest clogged drains, we must respond promptly.
Before resorting to bacteria-based enzyme cleaners and caustic cleaners for unblocking drains and clearing blocked drains, you can go the do-it-yourself route and use tools you can easily access in your hardware stores like a toilet plunger, plumber’s snake, drain auger or a DIY drain snake, or a cup plunger fit enough to cover a drain hole for suction.
Prevention: The Best Cure
The best ‘cure’ isn’t found in your local hardware store — it is prevention. By that, we mean avoiding certain behaviours that typically cause a blocked drain, like proper disposal of your coffee grounds, food debris, cooking oil, wet wipes, and sanitary products and having the discipline not to pour the grease into the sink and using drain screens or throwing the odd handful of baking soda and steaming hot water into the sink. Also, a professional inspection of your property for debris and tree root invasion is advisable.
For emergency plumbing, like a more stubborn clogged drain, it may be best to refer this to a professional plumber or an emergency plumber and take advantage of a very professional service.
The leading Sydney blocked drain plumbers came up with this infographic covering the best tricks and tips for clearing a blocked drain. So, it’s time to get your clogged drains flowing right again!
Clear a blocked drain and share this infographic on your website, including attribution.
Infographic Provided By Fixed Today Plumbing
Infographic Transcription
Blocked drains are a nightmare for any homeowner, regardless of size or severity. If left untreated, they can cause an extremely unclean environment and disrupt your home by causing leaks and burst pipes. By following these six easy tips on unblocking a drain, you can be prepared to clear your blocked drain without any hassle.
1. Boiling Water
Boil a kettle of hot water and pour it down your blocked drain. This method is perfect for simple and smaller drains that need a little loosening of the grease build-up.
Make sure you use boiling water on your metal or ceramic pipes, as using it on PVC pipes will loosen the joints. This method is excellent for the environment as no chemicals are used.
2. Plunge
Sometimes, a good plunge is all you need to clear your blocked kitchen sink, bathroom sink, or clogged toilet. This method is only effective on solid blockages.
A plunger should be large enough to cover the whole drain opening. Ensure that the up and down strokes are vigorous and are applied with a good amount of pressure. About ten strokes should do the trick.
3. Baking Soda and Vinegar
This DIY drain remedy is a great way to naturally clear your blocked drain in the kitchen or bathroom sink. Start by pouring boiling water down your drain, then add ½ cup of baking soda. Let that sit for a few minutes.
Then, 1 cup of vinegar and 1 cup of boiling water again. Cover the drain with a plug to let the mixture react for 5-10 minutes. Finish off by flushing the sink once more with hot water.
4. Wire Hanger
A household metal coat hanger is a simple and effective way to clear your blocked drain. You must unbend the hanger and make a small hook on one of the ends.
Feed it through the drain and carefully fish out any objects or debris causing the severe blockage.
5. Check the U-bend
If you have a blocked sink drain, the blockage lurks in the U-shaped pipe beneath. Luckily, it’s easy to check. Place a bucket under the drainpipe to catch water or waste.
Then, unscrew the two connections and clear the pipe, quickly cleaning it.
6. High-pressure Jet Blaster
For the more severe blockages, a high-pressure jet blaster is best. Most experienced and licensed plumbers carry a jet blaster.
This method is excellent for objects that block your drains, such as tree roots lodged inside the pipework. Your drain blockage will be located and cleared simultaneously, along with CCTV camera work.
When your plumbing system encounters issues, the first step is often to ensure your drains flow smoothly. To avoid the need for chemical drain cleaners, regular maintenance is key. However, if you find yourself needing to clear blocked drains, sometimes a drain cleaner can be a temporary solution. Additionally, ensuring your hot water system is functioning correctly can help maintain the health of your drains. Remember, drain cleaners can be harsh; thus, preventing blockages is always better than frequent reliance on chemical drain cleaners.
Remember that for any larger drains, such as stormwater or sewer drain blockages, the help of a licensed local plumber is recommended.
Plumbers would have the best equipment and industry knowledge to clear your blocked drains. For help with blocked drains in Sydney, contact the team at Fixed Today. Contact us for your plumbing needs and emergencies.
