Dealing with blocked drainage can be very cumbersome. However, it’s important to get it done as soon as possible to avoid paying for expensive repairs. With a clogged sewer line, waste water can’t flow down the line drain. Instead, the water flows back into the pipes inside a house or a commercial building. For many people, this means trouble, especially when the waste water starts damaging the property and leaving an undesirable scent.

Causes of a clogged drainage

Clogged drain pipes are perhaps one of the most common issues faced by many property owners. And there are plenty of reasons why this happens. Here are some of the common causes of a blocked drain:

• Hardened grease, oil, fats and decaying food particles
• Chemical buildup from bathroom products such as toothpaste, soap, and shampoo.
• Flushed toilet paper, paper towels, wet wipes and sanitary napkins/tampons
• Soil or construction debris during a home renovation project
• Deteriorating plants or leaves during autumn
• Offset drain pipes, especially in old properties
• Mineral buildup inside the pipes because of hard water

Signs your drain is blocked

It’s not easy to figure out when a drain pipe gets blocked, mostly because the system is underground. Most of the time, people don’t even know that they have blocked drainage until the damage is beyond repair. Thankfully, there are some key telltale signs that your drain is blocked:

• Unpleasant smell coming from the drain – One of the most obvious signs that you have a clogged drain pipe is foul sewage odour. Organic matter breakdown releases unpleasant smelling gases such as carbon dioxide, hydrogen sulfide and nitrogen.
• Toilet won’t flush or the water level is too high – You know there’s something wrong with the drain pipes when the water in the toilet bowl looks abnormally high.
• You hear a gurgling sound from the pipe – A gurgling noise coming from the plug hole, drain and toilet bowl can also denote that there is a buildup of grease, dirt or other material in the drain.
• Water keeps on backing up to your tub, sink and shower –
• Water on the kitchen, laundry or bathroom floor –

Dealing with a clogged drain

If you see any of the signs enumerated above, you need to act fast. It might be worth it to use DIY remedies to unclog the pipes, especially when the problem is not that serious. After all, who doesn’t want to save a few dollars on a survey.

However, most of the time, it’s more practical to call in a drain unblocking professional. It saves you time and money, plus you don’t need to figure out your problems on your own. With the help of a trained plumber, you get to the bottom of the issue fast and you prevent other expensive problems to arise.

Here are some of the ways that experts use to unblock drain pipes:

• Mechanical unblocking – The standard process to deal with a blocked drain involves the use of equipment such as motorised drain snake. The service charge starts at $295.
• Camera inspection – There are some instances where plumbers need to use a camera to inspect drain. With CCTV drain survey, plumbers get to identify what is blocking the drain.

Hydro blasting – Hydro- jetting or hydro blasting is a technique used to clean or clear out surfaces or pipes. It involves the use of highly-pressurized water to dislodge materials.

For severe cases, you may need to avail additional services such as pipe excavation. The process involves the removal and replacement of the blocked pipes. The service can cost around $229 if its a basic dig up and replace.  

Besides dealing with the blockage, you should also consider having your pipes cleaned on a regular basis. You can book a sucker truck service for $207 so you can get rid of organic matter accumulating inside the drain pipes.

You can also install sediment water filter cartridge to minimise the amount of soil, rocks, and silt accumulating in the drain.

Lastly, if you make use of an underground grease trap, see to it that you have it cleaned every once in a while. Without a clean grease trap, more fat, oil and grease or FOG end up in the drain. And overtime, they accumulate and cause plumbing mishaps aka blockaghes. 

How to prevent clogging of drain pipes

Clogged drains are quite annoying but at the same time, preventable. After a plumber restore it to good condition, your next priority is to keep it that way for a long time. It will help you avoid trouble plus paying for additional or follow up services. Here are the simplest and most practical ways you can keep your drain clear:

• Never dump leftover food in the sink
• Allow liquid grease to cool and have them disposed properly
• Do not pour fat or oil in the kitchen sink
• If the main line supplies hard water, use a water softener to prevent material buildup
• Utilise hair catcher on the drain to prevent hair from getting into the pipes

Book a drain unclogging service today!

Notice signs that your drain is blocked by material buildup? Have your drain pipe inspected fast! Find out what’s causing the issue so that you know the best approach to use with the help of Drainage NZ. Failure to unclog your drain on time can cause all sorts of issues that can cause long-term and expensive damage to your property. Start mitigating the issue today!