If you have a drain in your home that is completely blocked or that water flows through very slowly, you'll want to have it looked at. Blocked drains can cause bacteria to build up, and foul-smelling odours created by that bacteria can filter out of the drain and into your home. Additionally, if you continue to use a slow-moving drain, the increased pressure on the drain wall could lead to structural damage, such as cracks in the pipe or a broken seal. A blocked kitchen or bathroom drain can make it difficult for you to wash and should be dealt with as soon as possible. Read on to understand what you should expect when you call in a plumber for blocked drain repair.
How A Plumber Will Resolve A Blocked Drain
When a plumber comes to your home to unblock a drain, they will start by using a plunger, as some blockages are relatively easy to clear. If there's an overflow drain, the plumber will use a damp cloth to create a seal over it before plunging the blocked drain. This allows enough air pressure to build when using the plunger, as inadequate air pressure will prevent the plunger from working properly. Repeatedly pumping the plunger up and down over the blocked drain will hopefully dislodge the blockage, but plunging the drain is sometimes not enough to clear a stubborn blockage.
It may be necessary for your plumber to use a drain snake, which is a long, flexible wire with a spiral end section and a handle for turning the wire inside the drain. The drain snake is carefully fed into the drain, and the plumber will turn the handle as it goes deeper into the pipework. Debris will be caught in the spiral wire and dislodged as the snake is retracted out of the drain. If these two methods are not successful, the plumber will need to take the drain pipes apart to locate the blockage, and it may be necessary to replace some of the pipework, depending on what they discover is causing the blockage.
How To Avoid Blocked Drains
Blocked kitchen drains are often caused by a build-up of grease and food debris. Be sure to dispose of used cooking fat and wood waste properly. In most areas, these items can be placed in your recycle bin. Hair is a common cause of blocked drains in bathrooms. You can avoid hair clogging up your drains by using a plug cover to catch hair before it goes down the plug hole. Additionally, be sure that you don't leave any small items around your sink, such as hair pins, if you have young children, as it can be too tempting for them to make a game out of dropping these objects into the plughole.
Plumbers can usually clear blocked drains pretty quickly, so if you find yourself dealing with a blocked drain, contact your local plumbing company for information.
