How to recognise the signs of a blocked drain

Common Signs Your Drain is Blocked

Several indicators of a blocked drain include:

• Gurgling noises or water draining slower than usual, or not draining at all
• Blocked drains typically begin with persistent gurgling sounds from your pipes
• Sinks, showers or toilets backing up when water cannot pass through the drain as expected
• The presence of bad smells coming from around your drains
• Rising toilet water level around floor drains

Blocked drains may start with mild symptoms but can worsen if not addressed. Blocked drains can damage your pipes by obstructing the flow and causing buildup of debris and grease. If the blockage escalates, it can cause water to overflow, resulting in flooding, foul odours or property damage.

Don’t ignore these warning signs; contact a plumber promptly if you suspect a sewer blockage. Call a professional plumber as soon as you notice water pooling or when you spot other blockage indicators; they are skilled at clearing blockages efficiently. While drain cameras can pinpoint clogs, it’s best to clear blockages early to avoid the need for emergency plumbing or expensive pipe repairs.

Where Blockages Commonly Occur

Blockages can occur in unexpected places, such as:

• Main sewer line - The main sewer drain connects your home’s plumbing system, through your walls, to the municipal sewer system or septic tank. Blockages here can cause your plumbing system to suffer backups and flooding in multiple fixtures.
• Kitchen sink drain - Food particles, grease, fat, and soap scum often build up here. Keep an eye out for drainage issues in your sink, shower, and elsewhere to catch early signs of a blockage.
• Bathroom sinks and showers - Hair and soap scum tend to accumulate in bathroom drains over time.
• Your toilet - Objects accidentally flushed or a buildup of mineral deposits from hard water can block drainage pipes.
• Laundry drains - Lint and small items escaping from washing machines can clog laundry room drains.
• Outside drain grates - Debris like leaves, twigs, and gravel can block exterior drainage pipes.

If you observe slow drainage in your sink alone, there’s likely a clog affecting the drain which is probably localised and the best way to address this is with your local plumber’s help. If only one fixture is backing up, it usually indicates a local blockage, not a main sewer line problem. In either situation, contacting a professional will help identify the precise location of the blockage and ensure water your drains run clear is effectively restored.

In the Main Sewer Line

Sewer pipes play a crucial role in drainage by collecting wastewater from household fixtures and directing it away from your property. A clog can lead to slow drainage or cause water to back up in fixtures including sinks, showers, and toilets.

Main sewer line blockages commonly arise from a buildup of grease, soap residue, hair, tree roots, and dense materials. As debris builds up, it’s often a signal that when there’s blockage, a broad shared pipe is being restricted. With no exit, wastewater reverses direction, potentially flowing back into your fixtures, indicating a drain issue.

The main sewer line links your home’s plumbing to the municipal sewage system or your private septic system. A blockage can therefore also result in sewage flooding in your yard or even on your front lawn. To avoid the chance to damage your property from extensive plumbing issues or contamination, we strongly recommend addressing main line clogs with immediate professional attention.

Don’t delay; call a plumber if you notice multiple fixtures affected by a blockage or suspect a main line clog. We have the tools and expertise to clear debris, remove blockages, and get your water flowing freely again through the main sewer and out of your home.

In Fixtures Like Sinks or Toilets

Blockages often occur in household plumbing fixtures like bathroom sinks, bathtubs, showers and toilets. Signs of a clogged sewer drain, specific to these areas, are:

• Water pooling in a sink or bathtub
• Toilets backing up when flushed, a sign there might be a potential blockage
• Showers draining slowly
• You might hear a gurgling sound as a clear indicator of blockages emerging from bathroom drains

To determine if the blockage is specific to one fixture, check the drainage in other sinks, tubs, and showers. If water drains slowly or begins backing up, when theres blockage, your local plumber should assess, limited to that one drain.

However, quick water drainage from other fixtures indicates the blockage is localised in the problem drain. Some of the most common causes, rather than being extensive, include:

• Globs of hair and soap scum accumulating inside your shower drain
• Toys, sanitary products or other items accidentally flushed down a toilet
• Grease and food scraps piled up in a kitchen sink drain

Regardless of the specific fixture affected, a clogged drain can exacerbate issues if not cleared quickly. Continued use will only compact debris further, leading to a situation that can get worse with severe drain blockage — it’s time to call a knowledgeable plumber to address the issue. Call a professional plumber for prompt drain cleaning and get your water flowing freely again.

Preventing Drain Blockages

There are several effective ways to help prevent drain blockages:

• Avoid pouring fats, oils, and grease down drains, as they can form blockages by solidifying inside the pipes.
• Use drain strainers in sinks to catch food scraps and other debris.
• Flush pipes regularly in areas like showers with hot water, vinegar, or baking soda to dissolve buildups, following your plumber’s guidance.
• Have a professional plumber perform annual drain inspections and cleanings.
• In some cases, trim overhanging trees and plants to prevent invasive roots from entering exterior drainage pipes.
• Be mindful not to flush anything except toilet paper as other items can easily get stuck and cause clogs.

Adhering to these preventative measures can significantly reduce the risk of problematic drain blockages. For advice on drainage system maintenance, contact our team - preventing problems is more convenient and affordable than emergency drain repairs.

Regular Drain Maintenance

There are some simple yet effective drain maintenance steps you can take to help prevent clogs and keep pipes clear:

• Regularly pour hot water down your sinks to clear passageways and dissolve grease buildup.
• Each month, use a mix of 1 cup baking soda with 1 cup vinegar to maintain clear drains and uninterrupted water flow.
• Use a drain strainer in sinks to catch food particles and hair.
• Have a plumber perform annual drain inspections and professional cleaning.

Establishing easy preventative habits can significantly lower the risk of issues that prevent water in your household from draining efficiently. If you experience ongoing issues, take action on your own by calling our team - we offer affordable maintenance plans to keep your plumbing system operating smoothly.

Avoid Pouring Fats and Oils Down the Drain

It’s crucial to avoid disposing fats, oils, and grease in drains to prevent blockages. When these substances cool and solidify, they coat the insides of pipes. Over time, this greasy residue accumulates and severely restricts water flow.

Common cooking fats and oils that can clog drains include:

• Butter and margarine
• Lard and shortening
• Bacon grease
• Food oils like vegetable, canola or olive oil

Increasing grease buildup can ensnare debris, causing recurrent clogs in your drainage system. Melted fats may flow down drains freely at first, but as they cool inside pipes, grease adheres to the walls; a classic sign blocked drain problems are developing.

Instead of pouring fats and oils down the drain, collect and dispose of them properly. Grease solids can be scraped into the trash. Instead of pouring fats and oils down the drain, collect and dispose of them properly.

Small amounts of cooking oil can be absorbed with paper towels or poured into an empty can for disposal.

Dealing with a Blocked Drain

If simple drain cleaning methods don’t clear the blockage, you should keep an eye on the situation and call a professional plumber, but Here are some steps you can try before you call a plumber:

1. Use a plunger to clear blockage - Seal the drain opening completely with the plunger, then plunge up and down rapidly to try and dislodge the clog.
2. If plunging fails, use a drain snake to reach deep blockages and attempt to hook and remove debris.
3. Use a chemical drain cleaner - These can help dissolve some types of simple clogs, but take care to always follow safety directions.

Avoid using harsh chemical cleaners too frequently, as they can cause further damage to the water pipe that drains your household wastewater. Avoid turning off water supplies to tackle a stubborn clog; this can exacerbate the problem.

For severe or repetitive issues, call a plumber - our dedicated team works with high-pressure water jets and robust drain augers to clear even stubborn blockages. Promptly seeking professional drain cleaning can prevent costly long-term plumbing repairs.

Trying a Plunger or Drain Snake

Before calling a professional, you can attempt clear a minor blockage yourself using a plunger or drain snake:

1. Try a plunger first by sealing it completely over the drain and plunging up and down rapidly to dislodge the clog.
2. If that doesn’t work, employ a drain snake, especially when there’s a blockage too stubborn for simpler methods. slowly feed it further down the drain and twist to hook debris and extract it if there’s blockage.
3. You can also pour a kettle of hot water down the drain to help dissolve some debris, followed by 1/2 cup baking soda and 1 cup vinegar to react with buildup.

Wear gloves and goggles when clearing drains with devices or chemicals, and never insert hands into a drain. If DIY methods don’t resolve the issue, call a professional to properly inspect and clear the blockage.

Using Chemical Drain Cleaners

Chemical drain cleaners can help clear mild clogs caused by grease, soap scum, hair and other organic materials. However, they come with some risks, so it’s a good idea to call for professional help:

• Wear protective gloves and eye wear when handling cleaners due to potential skin and eye irritation.
• Never mix chemical products together - this can create toxic fumes.
• Follow all safety directions on packaging and never exceed recommended dosages.
• Keep children and pets away from cleaners.
• Avoid using in conjunction with other drain cleaning methods.
• Don’t use chemical cleaners if you have a septic system - they can harm beneficial bacteria.

Frequent or excessive use of chemical drain cleaners can damage your pipes. It’s best to call a professional when home remedies are ineffective. If a clog persists after a few chemical cleaner treatments, call a professional plumber to properly clear drains and identify any underlying issues.

Calling a Professional Plumber

It’s always best to call a professional plumber if you’ve tried DIY methods to clear a blocked drain and they haven’t worked. A professional, equipped with the right tools, can have a plumber investigate and clear persistent or severe clogs that DIY solutions can’t tackle.

Some signs it’s time to call a professional for a blocked sewer drain include:

• Multiple attempts with a plunger, drain snake or chemical drain cleaner have failed
• The clog is located in an embedded, hard to access section of pipe
• You suspect the blocked sewer line connecting to the municipal sewage system is blocked
• Backups and slow drains are affecting multiple fixtures such as your sink, shower, and others
• You have a septic tank system
• DIY drain cleaning caused leaks or damage to your pipes

Leichhardt Plumbing provides prompt service, effectively managing and swiftly resolving signs of a blocked drain with efficient cleaning methods. Our drain camera inspections can help to identify problem areas where bad smells coming from the drain might indicate deeper issues. We can also provide advice to help prevent future clogs.

We utilise some of the most advanced methods to address signs your sewer is struggling, using high pressure water jets and industrial strength drain augers to clear severe blockages.

When it comes to affordable and reliable blocked drain solutions, don’t hesitate to get touch with Leichhardt Plumbing on 1300 349 338 or email [email protected]. With no call out fee and same day response times, you can depend on us for quality drain cleaning services.

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Thus far, our guide includes common signs of a blocked drain, where blockages frequently occur, prevention methods, and when to call a professional plumber seamlessly. Key sections detail issues in main sewer lines versus specific fixtures, avoiding pouring fats down drains, DIY drain clearing approaches, and reasons to contact a pro.

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