There’s nothing more annoying than a blocked drain, impacting everyday routines and your ability to use the facilities within your property. But how do you know your drains have become blocked, given that most of us don’t regularly look further than the plughole in our sink or shower?
There are several signs that indicate a blocked drain in London that homeowners and property managers need to be aware of. Keep reading to find out what they are, and what to do when a blockage strikes.
Signs of a blocked drain
The first thing that most people will notice is slow draining sinks and plugholes, in their shower and kitchen sink, as well as in baths and around other plugholes. A slow-draining plumbing network implies a blockage or build-up which is preventing water from passing through the pipe.
Another sign of a blocked drain is an unpleasant smell around your sinks and plugholes. Again, this is caused by a build-up somewhere in your pipes, which traps wastewater and kicks an aroma back up into your property.
And then we have the gurgling noise that most of us will have heard at some point. When pipes and plugholes seem to have a gurgling sound when they drain, this could be a sign that water is forcing its way around a blockage and draining more slowly.
What to do if you recognise these signs
If you notice any of these signs in and around your home, the most important thing to do is to call a drainage specialist. Not only do they have the tools and equipment to flush a blockage, but they can also diagnose the issue, identify what is causing the blockage, and work to flush it in the quickest and most cost-efficient way possible.
Once a blockage has been flushed or fixed, it’s crucial that you familiarise yourself with maintenance tips and the small changes you can make to protect your drains. Taking care to only flush waste, never flush wipes and other materials, and keeping your drains clean is an important part of protecting the pipe network.
When a blocked drain becomes more serious
Flushing a blocked drain is necessary for restoring the drainage network to full use, whether that be draining your household toilets and sinks, showers, or gutters. But that’s not all.
If left to fester and grow, a blocked drain only becomes more serious – and more expensive to repair – with blockages soon causing a build-up in water pressure that cannot escape, thereby causing pipes to crack and burst.
A damaged pipe is not only a more expensive fix than a blocked drain, but it also requires a great deal more time and causes increasing levels of disruption in and around your property. If nothing else, this should encourage you to tackle blocked drains at the source and call on your local drainage specialists to remove and flush any blockages before they build up and cause even more damage.