9 Signs You Might Need A Drain Unblocking Service

by | Mar 20, 2024 | DIY Tips

Are your drains struggling to function properly? Drains are pipes that securely remove waste and related materials from your property and dispose of them in the sewers. Any residential or commercial building must have a free-flowing, fully operational drainage system, to ensure a clean, comfortable atmosphere and to keep things like dishwashers, washing machines, showers, toilets, and wash hand basins fit for use, with no deterioration of hygiene levels.

Your drains should never be overlooked; they play a major role in daily life. It’s important to keep in mind that they’ll struggle to function properly (and may even stop working completely) if things they aren’t designed to cope with end up in the pipework. Food scraps or baby wipes, say, can easily form a blockage, trapping air and impeding the flow of wastewater.

Take a look at the 9 signs that you might need a drain unblocking service to get the problem fixed fast…

Signs You Might Need A Drain Unblocking Service #1 Unpleasant Smells

Have you found yourself frequently reaching for the air freshener or throwing open the windows lately? Nasty odours tend to be early warning signs of blocked drains, especially if they’re particularly noticeable when you’re running water. If cooking fat is stuck in the pipes, for instance, it’ll make your property smell far from fragrant. Unpleasant smells emanating from drains, particularly in sinks, showers, or floor drains, can indicate a buildup of organic matter or sewage that needs to be cleared.

Signs You Might Need A Drain Unblocking Service #2 Gurgling Noises

If your drainage system gets congested, you might hear it complaining!! Strange gurgling noises that greet you when you empty the kitchen sink or flush the toilet, can point to an obstruction. It might sound like your pipework has a bad case of indigestion, but what’s actually happening is that air is trapped in the pipes due to blockages, which disrupt the normal flow of water. Many people just put up with the gurgling and then get used to it over time as it becomes part of daily use of the kitchen, bathroom, or appliances, but all the while further damage is slowly being done to the drainage system that can and will result in huge repair bills.

Signs You Might Need A Drain Unblocking Service #3 Water Drains Slowly or Not At All

You may also require a drain unblocking service if the water in your kitchen sink, appliances, basin, bath, or shower starts draining away more slowly than usual. Its movement could well be hindered by an obstruction in your drainage system. Moreover, if you have severely blocked drains, you might find the water refuses to drain away at all, so if you notice water taking longer than usual to drain from sinks, bathtubs, or showers, it could be a sign of a partial blockage in the drain pipes and time to call in a professional drain unblocking service.

Signs You Might Need A Drain Unblocking Service #4 Water draining slowly is a sign that your drains need unblocking

Clogged drains can prevent toilets flushing properly too, which is certainly not a problem any property owner will be able to tolerate for very long. The issue is extremely unpleasant in a domestic environment, where there may be one or two toilets, but it is even more nightmarish in larger buildings such as hospitals and office blocks.

Signs You Might Need A Drain Unblocking Service #5 Rising Water Levels

Congestion compromises and unbalances your drainage system. As a result, the water levels in your bathroom, say, may start to rise. For example, it’s not unusual for someone with blocked drains to find that running a bath leads to an increase in the amount of water in the toilet.

Signs You Might Need A Drain Unblocking Service #6 The Problem isn’t Located in the U-Bend

Sometimes homeowners or other property owners assume that a plumber will be able to get their wastewater flowing and draining properly again by cleaning out, repairing or replacing their U-bends or other water traps (the sections of pipe that hold a small amount of wastewater in order to act as a barrier against foul gases and odours).

Signs You Might Need A Drain Unblocking Service #7 Frequent Backups

Perhaps the clearest and most worrying sign of a drain blockage is wastewater frequently backing up – in other words, coming back up into your toilet and through your plugholes, because it can’t travel easily through the system anymore. If the obstruction is severe, wastewater can even escape from your property’s manhole. If you frequently experience clogs in the same drain despite attempts to clear them with household remedies, it may be a sign of a more serious underlying issue that requires professional attention.

Signs You Might Need A Drain Unblocking Service # 8 Changes in Water Pressure and Overflowing Toilets

When flushing the toilet causes water to overflow onto the floor, it signals a significant blockage in the toilet drain or sewer line. A sudden increase or decrease in water pressure throughout your plumbing system can be caused by blockages restricting the flow of water through the pipes.

Signs You Might Need A Drain Unblocking Service #9 Visible Signs of Blockage

If you notice visible signs of a blockage, such as grease buildup or tree roots infiltrating sewer pipes, it’s essential to address the issue promptly to prevent further damage to your plumbing system. Additionally, puddles of water forming around external drains could indicate a blockage preventing water from flowing away properly.

More often than not, when you have blocked drains, the source of the problem lies beyond the building’s easily accessible internal plumbing. If you notice any of these signs, it’s best to contact a professional drain unblocking service to inspect and address the problem before it worsens. Trying to resolve the issue yourself could potentially lead to further damage or costly repairs, it is best to always use a specialised drain unblocking and drain cleaning professional. Blocked drains create numerous issues, from nasty odours to wastewater that won’t budge. So if you’ve noticed any of the blocked drain signs discussed above, you’ll want to get the problem fixed fast, so that you can get back to normal life and avoid drain damage.

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