What are the signs of a blocked drain?

A blocked drain can be a great inconvenience and source of stress. Often blockages may go unnoticed for a short while, but a blocked drain never goes away on its own and if you notice the warning signs it is important to act quickly. In order to do this and make sure to efficiently catch the blockage before it can escalate, it is a good idea to know what the warning signs are.
One of the biggest signs of a blocked drain is the speed of the water draining.

The slower the drainage, the bigger the blockage is going to be. If you’ve noticed that over time the water is draining more and more slowly, then it is likely that there has been a small blockage that has not been taken care of and has begun to grow.

In cases where the water will not drain at all, the blockage is of a significant size and must be dealt with immediately before it can expand further, as this can lead to the pipes bursting and flooding. Problems like these are far more expensive and pose a serious health risk due to the amount of waste that can contaminate your property, so it is very important to act quickly and get the issue resolved before it can cause any more damage.

Another sign of a blocked drain is the smell. If you are noticing a bad odor coming from the drains, then it is likely that there is a buildup of waste that is beginning to block the pipes. This is particularly noticeable in kitchen drains, especially when food waste has not been properly disposed of. Food substances that are greasy, oily or fatty, and even food waste like coffee granules do not break down quickly enough for them to pass through drains easily.

This means that they will stick to the walls of the drains and over time, as more food is washed down the sink, the blockage will increase in size and can eventually cause a great deal of damage to the pipes, causing cracks and leaks in the drains. To avoid this problem it is important to properly dispose of your food waste by throwing it in the bin instead of washing it down the drains. You can also prevent the build up of any small blockages that may have started to occur by washing boiling water down the drains regularly. Use this as a preventative method to ensure that, if there are any small blockages, they do not expand and cause more hassle.

An additional sign of a blocked drain is the sound that it is making when water is flushed down it. If there are gargling noises coming from the drains every time you flush water away, there is likely a blockage somewhere along the drains that is stopping the water from flowing smoothly. If you notice a noise like this, it is important to act quickly and call a drain technician to come and take care of the problem before it can get bigger and more difficult to tackle.

Drain technicians have years of experience in the industry and are fully equipped to handle any problem you might be having with your drains, so don’t hesitate to call one as soon as you notice any of the warning signs of a blocked drain. Read more on the topic of prevention and how you best take care of your drains here.