Blocked drains are a nuisance for any household or business establishment. We use these drains in the bathroom, showers, sinks, water supply and filtration, dishwashers, and even in our sewerage systems. There may be times that we take this very important feature for granted that we forget that our drains also need maintenance and care.

All of our activities that utilise water need drains for eliminating the produced wastewater as well as the solid particles. Any blockage or interruption of this process would be very inconvenient and unhealthy. Blocked drains may start as minor problems but can quickly escalate to very stressful and expensive situations.

It is best that you should know the common reasons why your drains get blocked. In this article, we’ll discuss some of the common items that can clog your drains.

Human Hair

We constantly shed our hair whenever we take a bath. This may seem to be a harmless occurrence at first but ultimately, its build-up can be a cause for major headaches for homeowners.

Hair blockage can also occur in hand basins and other fixtures that have drains inside the bathroom. It is imperative that you are aware of the possible effects of hair accumulating over your drains before the situation gets worse.

You can prevent this problem by placing small screens on top of the drains. Always see to it that you clean the drain and remove the accumulating hair and throw it in the trash can.

Toiletries

Toilet paper and other similar products can block your drain when flushed in excessive amounts. Although toilet paper should be flushed after use, just be aware that it can stick together and may cause an obstruction.

Baby wipes and feminine napkins are not designed to be flushed down the toilet. These items will not disperse and will rather expand when exposed to water. It is never a good idea to flush them down the drain. Use the trash can instead.

Kitchen Waste

Kitchen waste is one of the most dreaded particles of a plumbing system. The fats, oil, and food particles can combine into one huge hard, sticky, and very stubborn ball that can completely block your drain. This is certainly troublesome for people like restaurant owners or kitchen lovers.

Avoid flushing food particles and kitchen waste down the bathtub or laundry drains. The pipes and plumbing systems are not designed to work with these types of particles, especially when they cool down and solidify.

Mineral Deposits

This scenario greatly depends on the type of water you have in your area. If you live in an area where you’re using hard water, there’s this huge chance of pipe blockage. Hard water, as it is defined, is the number of dissolved minerals present in the water.

If the water in your area has large amounts of dissolved calcium and magnesium, for example, the higher are the chances that there will be build-up and clogging in your pipes. Regular cleaning and maintenance should be done if you’re living in locations where you’re using hard water.

Particles of Old Pipes

The pipes in our property don’t last forever. They will always be prone to degradation over time. The pipes often lose their structural integrity and disintegrate into small particles. These particles, in turn, mix into other particles and minerals and combine to become a lump of solidified mass.

When you encounter this kind of problem, it may be time to replace those old pipes. Call a professional plumber to help you with this issue.

Animal Wastes

Not everyone knows that animal waste should never be flushed down the drains. Your dog’s or cat’s poop are made from different chemical compositions compared to us humans.

Your cat’s litter for example is made of silica, sand, and clay. This mixture itself is the perfect concoction if you want to mould a solid, hard clump of material inside your pipes.

Foreign Objects

Foreign objects or items that are not supposed to be flushed down the drain is a serious issue. A toy or any hard, solid object can totally block your pipes. Common items like a child’s toy or plastic containers, or a chunk of soap that have been flushed through your kitchen sink, shower drain, or toilet bowl will cause you a lot of trouble.

Even leaves or small twigs that get stuck in your outdoor drain will totally block your draining systems. Keep these kinds of debris away from your drain. Make sure to clean the area around your drains to prevent this problem from happening.

As situations like this get worse, you will need the help of professional plumbers to scour and clean up your pipes.

Final Thoughts

Clogging of drains is far more common than you could have thought. The effects can be subtle or excruciatingly painful. As a homeowner or business property manager, the responsibility of making sure the drains are well-maintained falls onto you.

Prevent the blocking of your drains by regularly having them checked and maintained.