Slow draining water. Gurgling sounds. Nasty smells. What do they have in common?
Answer: each is a common sign of a blocked drain!
Blocked drains are a common problem in every home. For most of us, this is about as bad as plumbing problems get (and that’s a good thing).
Today, our Templestowe plumbers explain how you can identify a blocked drain, and what you can do to prevent or fix them going forward!
Signs of blocked drains
If we’re talking symptoms of blocked drains, we may as well start with the most obvious one!
If your drain is blocked, water isn’t going to drain, full stop. Needless to say, it’s pretty hard to miss this sign of a blocked drain!
However, this isn’t the only symptom. While this is a dead giveaway that you have a total blockage, partial blockages are another thing you’ll want to look out for.
You can identify those by looking out for…
Slow draining water
A slow drain is usually the first sign of a partially-blocked drain. Chances are, there’s a blockage somewhere in your pipes that isn’t letting wastewater pass through as quickly as it could or should.
Some homeowners opt to use a bent wire hanger or solvent to unblock their slow drains.
For minor blockages, this can work – however, as with most home remedies, these solutions are only temporary.
For permanent fixes, it’s best to consult your local Templestowe plumbers.
Gurgling sounds
Ever heard that strange gurgling sound every time you use your kitchen drain or toilet bowl?
Surprise! It’s likely a blocked drain.
The noise you hear can sometimes be caused by trapped air in your plumbing.
Foreign objects that block your drain cannot let the water and air pass, creating a strange sound.
It’s important to note that this symptom isn’t exclusive to blocked drains – another cause of the gurgling sound can be a damaged sewer line.
When both things happen, you will need the expertise of a professional Templestowe plumber who can fix the problem for you.
Unwanted smell
Bad odour? A blocked drain is a likely culprit!
The smell is caused by rotten food, wet debris and other contaminants.
These elements get stuck in your drains and start to decompose – in some cases, they may also provide food for foul-smelling mould and bacteria to take over!
This problem is especially common in kitchen drains. Just think about how many food scraps make their way down your kitchen sink when preparing food or doing dishes!
Causes of blocked drains
Our Templestowe plumbers attend many jobs – over the last two decades, we’ve seen our fair share of blocked drains.
Time and time again, we’ve seen a couple of repeat offenders:
- Food scraps
- Dirt and silt
- Grease or fat substances
Blocked toilets in particular have their own list of common suspects.
This includes materials that shouldn’t be flushed like wet wipes (even the “flushable” ones), cotton buds, sanitary napkins and tissues.
Prevention is better than cure: the importance of drain cleaning and maintenance
The best way to avoid blocked drains?
Making a simple yet conscious effort to avoid putting food scraps, rubbish and grease down the drain.
However, that isn’t all you can do – drain cleaning and maintenance are also important!
How so?
For starters, drain maintenance can keep your whole system protected from any damage such as pipe leaks and cracks.
Water needs to go somewhere, blockage or not.
Debris and material build up in your drains can cause cracks and leaks due to blocked water exerting pressure on the pipes attached to your drains.
Another benefit of cleaning your drain is how you’ll remove bacteria and other unwelcome guests.
In addition to improving how your drains smell, this can also serve to protect you and your family from common risks. These include skin allergies and other respiratory diseases which are commonly caused by blocked drains and associated mould growth.
Finally, it ensures that your drains are working at their best, and that you won’t have to wait entire minutes for water to settle down due to slow drains.
How to maintain and unblock drains
Prevention is better than cure – this is especially true when it comes to your plumbing!
That’s why regular cleaning and proper maintenance are needed to ensure that your drains are in optimal condition.
If you ask us, you shouldn’t ever have to resort to breaking out the plunger!
While we suggest contacting our Templestowe plumbers for the severe cases, there are a few things that may offer temporary relief as you await a plumber’s visit.
Use baking soda and vinegar
Drain cleaning doesn’t need specialised products or tools if you do it early enough – in fact, all you need might be baking soda and vinegar.
This combo is a staple of any DIY cleaning list, and for good reason.
The combination of such solutions will loosen up any materials that clog its way on your drains.
Don’t pour things down the drain
Especially the kitchen drain!
We know it’s tempting to pour grease, oil and runoff down the drain, especially after you’ve just finished cooking and now facing the task of cleaning dirty dishes.
If you ask our Templestowe plumbers however, this is a bad idea!
That’s because grease and oil solidify, resulting in partial and complete blockages. Combined with food scraps, and you have the makings of a nasty drain blockage!
Instead, we suggest waiting for the oil and grease to cool down, before scraping it into a bag and depositing it directly into your garbage bin.
Ask for help from our Templestowe plumbers
Has it been a while since you had your pipes and drains cleaned out? Are DIY techniques only providing temporary relief?
If so, you need a professional to help out.
You may have tried using a plunger, home-made solutions, or even store-bought cleaners.
But your water still drains slowly, and you still hear those mildly concerning gurgles.
The best way to maintain clean and functioning drains is to seek help from our plumbers.
A certified and professional plumber like H2-Pro combine years of experience with specialised equipment like CCTV drain cameras and drain snakes to better diagnose and solve the root cause of the clog.
Why call H2-Pro’s Templestowe plumbers?
It’s simple: unlike other plumbers, we work strictly locally.
You’ll see our vans roaming around the eastern and north eastern suburbs of Melbourne, and nowhere else.
What makes this a good thing?
Since we’re nearby, you’ll never have to wait long for emergency plumbing assistance.
And as locals, we’re intimately familiar with the unique plumbing needs of the eastern and north-eastern suburbs of Melbourne.
Other plumbers might not know these. As a local however, we do!
Professional plumbers offer prompt, reliable, and quality service to any drain problem that you may have at home or in your commercial space.
An H2-Pro plumber is your trusted plumber in Templestowe offering complete domestic plumbing services. In addition to drains, we provide:
- Hot water services
- Burst and leaking pipes
- Emergency plumbing service
- Taps, showers, sinks, basins and toilets
- Bathroom and kitchen renovations
Get immediate plumbing advice and solution from Tony and his plumbing team today.
Call (03) 9844 1444 or book online for solutions to all of your plumbing problems!
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