A blocked drain is a real nuisance to have on your property. As well as being inconvenient, it can cause genuine damage if it is left too long. Knowing the signs of blocked drains means you can act quickly when there is a risk of water or structural damage, and stop small problems with your pipework from getting worse.
Here are some of the most common clues that your drainage system is blocked.
Strange Smells
If a foul, rotten smell is coming from the sinks and plugholes in your home, a blocked drain is the likely cause. Debris trapped in the pipes starts to decay and gives off a nasty odour. This is often one of the first signs of a blockage, so it should not be ignored. Left alone, it can lead to bigger problems such as flooding, which will cost more to put right.
Water Draining Slowly
Blockages tend to show up first in sinks and showers. Water that drains away slowly is usually a sign that something in the system is getting in its way. Showers are particularly prone to collecting hair, soap scum and cleaning products. If water is pooling around your feet and simple remedies are not helping, it is time to call in a professional.
Rising Water Levels
A blockage can cause all sorts of other trouble, including water rising where it should not. It may come back up through drains and cause flooding, and a toilet bowl that fills higher than normal can be another symptom. Outside, check the gully and, if you can do so safely, lift the nearest manhole cover. A chamber filling with water usually means the blockage is in the underground pipe rather than in a single sink or toilet.
These problems are mostly caused by unsuitable items being flushed down the toilet or by grease building up. To avoid blocked drains in future, think about what goes into your system and keep up with regular maintenance so the pipes stay clear.
Gurgling Noises From Plugholes and Toilets
Drains should be fairly quiet. If you hear gurgling or glugging from a plughole or toilet, especially while another fitting is in use, air is being forced through the water in the trap because waste cannot pass freely. A toilet that bubbles as the bath empties is a typical example, and it suggests a partial blockage in a pipe that both fittings share.
Several Fittings Slowing Down at Once
Where the problem appears tells you a lot. One slow basin usually points to a blockage in its own trap or waste pipe, often hair or soap. When several sinks, the shower and the toilet all start to struggle together, the blockage is more likely to be further down, in the main drain that carries everything away from the house.
Ground-floor fittings tend to show the trouble first, because they sit closest to the blockage. If a downstairs toilet or shower starts to back up when someone upstairs runs a bath, treat it as a warning about the main drain.
Damp Patches, Sunken Paving and Pests
Not all signs of blocked drains appear at the plughole. A blocked underground pipe holds water back, and that water can escape through cracks or loose joints. Look out for damp patches on walls or floors near where the drain runs, paving that has started to dip, or a strip of lawn that stays greener and wetter than the rest.
Rats are another clue. They live in sewers and can get into private drains through broken pipes and open joints, so seeing them around a manhole or gully often means the pipe is damaged as well as blocked.
What You Can Safely Try Yourself
A minor blockage in a single sink or shower can often be cleared at home. Try a plunger, pour hot water from the kettle down the plughole, or put a bowl under the sink trap and unscrew it to clean out what has collected. Avoid mixing different chemical drain cleaners, and do not push rods into an underground drain unless you know where it runs.
If none of that works, or the signs point to the main drain, a professional blocked drain clearance is the safer choice. Where blockages keep returning, a CCTV drain survey will show what is causing them.
Call Jet Plumb for Help With Blocked Drains
An overflowing drain, a smelly sink or a plughole that is slow to empty are all good reasons to bring in the professionals. Home remedies can help up to a point, but sometimes a more serious problem is hiding underneath. Having it properly investigated now can save you from expensive repairs later.
For homes and businesses in Stroud and throughout Gloucestershire, call Jet Plumb on 01453 827124. There is no call-out charge, and quotes are free with no obligation.
