Drains are essential plumbing structures for any property. But, life would be a lot simpler if these drains never could get clogged. Blocked drains can be a nuisance with all that nasty smell clubbed with a huge deal of inconvenience caused to the whole household. It is generally a nuisance that every household experiences once in a while. But, a great deal of that problems can be solved if every homeowner knew the causes of blocked drains.
Drains get clogged when we are negligent about what goes into them. All those non-biodegradable materials can keep accumulating and create a barrier to block the passage of waste. Here is a list of all the causes of blocked drains. If you keep in mind all these causes during your day-to-day life, you may be able to avert the blockage of the drain or, detect a blockage before it worsens.
1. Roots and Plants: Trees may provide a lot of benefits to mankind, but they are definitely not a boon for your drains. If your drains are outdoors, there is a possibility that the roots can mess with your drain pipes. Roots damage the drains and if left unattended, can worsen and make the drains beyond repair. Also, if leaves and twigs get into the drain, it can create a blockage within the drain. So, you need to make sure that no plant debris gets into the drain. You can have a cover over all the drain openings.
2. Hair: Human body is shedding hair all the time, especially when we are bathing and washing our hair. All this hair run into the drain and accumulate there. This is responsible for most of the clots. So, you need to clean the drain regularly and remove all the hair debris. Hair debris creates a blockage and that makes more and more materials stuck into it and thereby create a bigger blockage. Clumps of hair combine with soap residue and fatty deposits can solidify over time and that results in a blocked drain.
3. Pipe Offset: Pipes are generally fixed in 3 sections. Over years, the grounds shift slowly and reforming. This leads to the pipes shifting around and as the pipes are of a limited length, they do not always move in a way that aids the flow of waste within the drains. This disrupts the flow and creates a blockage. That is why regular maintenance is necessary to ensure that the pipes do not get offset and make the flow in the drain against gravity.
4. Concrete and Grease: Concrete debris and clay can get in the way of the pipes and sometimes weigh downpipes and eventually break them or rupture them. All this weight of concrete can damage the pipe greatly and eventually break it down. You have to ensure that such heavy debris does not weigh down the drain pipes and make them brittle.
5. Toiletries: People have that bad habit of dumping toiletries into the toilet bowl and flushing it down the drain. This seems to be harmless but what everyone does not realize that it causes huge problems in the drain pipes. Items like sanitary napkins, diapers, baby nappies and wipes, and all such disposable napkins flushed down the toilet. Such items absorb water and enlarge, thereby creating a blockage.
6. Storms: Heavy rains and storms cause floods and damage. Drains are not specifically designed to withstand the impact of weather. All this creates blocked drains. So, ensure that you keep your gutters clean during the rainy season. Also, ensure that you find a plumbing professional to easily unclog blocked drains after heavy rains.
Taking care and taking preventive measures against all these causes can help you avoid having blocked drains.
